Kaun Banega Crorepati 17: Amitabh Bachchan applauds India's cricket sensation Shafali Verma's rise after zero-run debut; says 'Zero se Hero'
ETimes December 03, 2025 11:39 PM
In an upcoming episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati, India’s youngest cricket sensation , Shafali Verma , opened up about her early struggles and the unconventional start to her sporting journey. During her conversation with the host, Amitabh Bachchan , she revealed that her debut match began with a zero-run innings, a moment she remembers clearly.
Speaking about her formative years, Shafali shared, “My family wasn’t financially strong, and my father first took my brother to cricket coaching. I would go along and tease him from behind, telling him the drills looked easy. One day, my father asked me to try it myself, and the first two balls I played, I hit well, and he was impressed. There were no women’s cricket academies near our home, so I started playing with boys. When my brother fell sick before a tournament, I wore his T-shirt with his name ‘Sahil’ on it and played in his place… and I ended up becoming the Player of the Tournament . That was the turning point of my life.”
When Amitabh Bachchan asked Shafali how much she scored on her India debut, she revealed with a shy smile that her first-ever innings began with zero runs, adding that she felt embarrassed about it. Amitabh ji immediately reassured her, saying, “Don’t be embarrassed… jiska zero hota hai, baadme jaake hero hota hai.”
Her story on KBC reflects a genuine portrait of India’s emerging athletes, underscoring their determination, limited resources, and the will to overcome systemic limitations. The episode serves as a reminder of how Shafali Verma transformed early obstacles into a career that continues to elevate Indian women’s cricket on the global stage.
