Verma, who has cemented her place in the Indian team as an opener since breaking into the side in late 2019, also revealed how the experience of playing with boys at a young age came in handy for her.
Cricket star Shafali Verma on Thursday revealed the story behind her short hair, which has become something of a signature look for the explosive opener.
Verma, who grew up in Rohtak, Haryana, revealed the support of her family, especially her cricket-crazy father, in helping her take up the sport at an early age and chart her course towards the Indian team.
During a panel discussion at the Rising India Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, Verma revealed how her father encouraged her to cut her hair short and play for a boys’ team, since there were no girls’ teams in that she could join in her vicinity.
“I used to have long hair when I used to play with the boys as a kid, because there weren’t any girls to play cricket with back then. They used to warn me, saying I would start crying after getting hit. One day I told my father that I should get a hair cut, then they will not be able to recognise me. My father agreed, and I started playing with the boys after the haircut.
It was that experience of playing with the boys that ultimately got me here, and that experience still comes in handy for me. Thanks to my father and my family,” Shafali, who recently represented Delhi Capitals in the inaugural Women’s Premier League, said at the panel discussion also comprising tennis legend Sania Mirza and world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen.
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