‘You inspired countless young girls’: Alia Bhatt’s message to Jemimah Rodrigues goes viral

3 min readNew DelhiJun 13, 2026 06:13 PM IST

Sharvari also reflected on what stood out most to her from Jemimah's innings against Australia in last year's World Cup semi-final

As Team India gears up for another shot at ICC glory in the Women’s T20 World Cup, two of the stars behind their historic ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 triumph—Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma—received heartfelt messages from Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Sharvari.

Speaking with JioStar in a video that has since gone viral, Alia praised Jemimah for her memorable semi-final innings against Australia, a knock that played a key role in India’s run to the title. “Jemimah, the world knows about your innings against Australia. That knock was too spectacular, beyond words. I am sure that day, you inspired countless young girls. Just be yourself and we’ll be winning too,” Alia said.

Sharvari also reflected on what stood out most to her from that innings. “The biggest moment for me was when you didn’t celebrate your personal milestone and just kept going. You kept your head on your shoulders, your feet on the ground, and kept playing. You celebrated only when India won. That moment was truly special. Wishing you lots of love and the very best of luck for everything that lies ahead.”

Responding to the praise, Jemimah said it was especially meaningful to know that women from different fields felt inspired by her journey. “It’s really special when other women feel inspired and empowered. In the same way, you keep working hard in your own career, no matter what field you are in, you can always be the best. I think you all have inspired me a lot more. Let’s continue to share this hope with everyone around us.”

Watch the video:

Alia also had words of encouragement for Shafali Verma, recalling the batter’s rise from a young prodigy to one of the biggest names in Indian cricket. “Shafali, today you are one of the most loved and celebrated Indian cricketers. But I want you to take a moment and remember that little girl who dedicated her life to cricket and, at just 15, made her big breakthrough. It is because of who you are today and what you bring to women’s cricket and the Indian team that so many young girls will never be able to thank you enough. Go, smash it!”

A delighted Shafali thanked the actors for their support and revealed that Alia is among her favourite stars. “Thank you for this sweet message. Alia Bhatt is one of my favourite actresses, so thank you for your kind words. I will always remember this. Thanks to both of you.”