Category: sports

Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues share candid stories of passion, perseverance, and women’s cricket on Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle

World Cup champions Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues appeared on a special episode of Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle, sharing candid stories from their cricketing journeys. From childhood struggles to high-pressure matches and the thrill of winning, their conversation was a mix of fun, emotion, and inspiration, celebrating the rise of women’s cricket in India. Fresh off India’s historic World Cup win after 52 years, Jemimah reflected on the moment, saying, “It’s a dream, not just for us, but for every Indian. We are happy we could do it, and this World Cup is also for the generation before us who set the foundation so that we could play cricket today. So I think this is everyone’s cup.” She recounted the final wicket, saying, “When we took the last wicket and won, we all ran towards Harry Di, who took the final catch. It didn’t sink in. It still feels like a dream because we’ve imagined this our entire lives.”Jemimah also revealed that she nearly pursued hockey instead of cricket. “I played cricket before hockey. When we moved from Bhandup to Bandra, my uncle gave me a hockey stick and I started playing. I even got selected to play hockey for the state before cricket. But at that level, I had progressed further in cricket, so I chose it. Still, I dream of playing both for India.”Shafali shared the surprising way her cricket journey began. “My brother was supposed to play in a tournament, but he got sick. I said, ‘I can go instead.’ I even had boy-cut hair, and my brother’s face is similar to mine. I played wearing a jersey with ‘Sahil’ on the back, after him, and I ended up being ‘Player of the Series’ at 11 years old.”Reflecting on her early days, Jemimah said, “When I started at a cricket club, girls’ cricket wasn’t well known. I was the only girl in a group of 400 boys. Sometimes boys wouldn’t talk to me because of teasing, but having a bat or ball in hand gave me confidence. It helped me grow tougher and improve my game.”Shafali shared how the movie Dangal motivates her. “Whenever I’m feeling down, I watch Dangal. I’m from Haryana, and many things in the movie reflect my life. It pumps me up every time.”Jemimah also explained why she is called Team DJ. “I love feel-good Bollywood songs, and when we started playing for the state, I began listening to Bollywood music more. The team also bonds over music, which adds to our energy during matches. Punjabi songs are our go-to when we dance as a team.”Produced and conceptualized by Banijay Asia, the show is presented by Oppo and co-presented by Kohler, Kalyan Jewellers, and Fevi Kwik. The special episode of Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle is now streaming on Prime Video across more than 240 countries and territories. Also Read: Kajol and Twinkle Khanna return as hosts for Prime Video show as they host World Cup champions Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma for a special episode.