India outclassed South Africa by 52 runs in the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday evening as 45,000 fans cheered them on, finally ending their long wait for the elusive World Cup crown. (PTI photo) NAVI MUMBAI: The fairytale ending dubbed India’s first women’s World Cup triumph could not have been more apt. Chasing a low full pitch, South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk smashed a 54-ball 84 outside the league stage to hand India a three-wicket defeat, kicking the ball to extra cover where India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur raced back to catch. Deepti Sharma, who had scored valuable half-centuries (58, 58b, 3×4, 1×6) earlier, took five for (5 for 39 in 9.3 overs) to seal the final with both bat and ball while creating India’s biggest ever win in women’s cricket.Soon after, the 45,000 crowd erupted in celebration along with the Indian team, with Harman and the Women in Blue breaking down in tears of joy.
BCCI secretary Saikia explains how Jay Shah championed women’s cricket
The Indian women’s cricket team’s moment finally arrived in 1983. India fought back after suffering three defeats on the trot that threatened their World Cup campaign and won the three matches that mattered to get them over the line – finally after numerous heartbreaks.India outclassed South Africa by 52 runs in the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday evening as 45,000 fans cheered them on, finally ending their long wait for the elusive World Cup crown. A billion hearts can now long celebrate the memorable, historic, game-changing triumph of women’s cricket in India – thanks to a player who wasn’t even a reserve player!“God has sent me here to do something good,” said Shafali Verma before India beat giants Australia in the semi-finals thanks to a brilliant hundred by Jemimah Rodrigues.Meaning a fairytale comeback, Shafali Verma played a huge role for India as their batting looked vital after two hours of rain in South Africa when they struck in the sixth over and then held off the storm as Shafali Verma unfurled 87 (78b, 7×4, 2×6) to help India post 298 for six after being asked to bat first bat, and later took two for 36 in seven overs. chase in one phase.Following a match-winning 169 in the semi-final against England in Guwahati, South African captain and opener Laura Wolvaardt slammed another brilliant century (101, 98b, 10×4, 1×6). But when she was caught by the sprinting Amanjot Kaur off Deepti in the 42nd over in the fielder’s third attempt, the game was firmly in India’s hands.The Proteas crumbled under the pressure of a high chase and a home crowd that cheered their team all the way to a historic victory. Chasing 299, South Africa looked to be cruising at 114 for two in the 21st over before Shafali struck twice – catching Sune Luus (25, 31b, 4×4) off her innocuous-looking delivery and Marizanne Kapp (4) being bowled in her next over.Wolvaardt and teammate Tazmin Brits (23, 35b, 2×4, 1×6) added 51 in 57 balls before Amanjot Kaur hit a direct hit to give India the first breakthrough. Early on, Anneke Bosch, who had a poor game, was dropped by Shafali at deep mid-wicket when the batter was on 57, trapped on the back foot by Shree Charani for a six-ball duck.South Africa were brought back into the game by Annerie Dercksen (25 off 37 balls), who put too much faith in her formal skipper, but Deepti yorked her in the 40th over to put India in the driver’s seat.Earlier 87 (78b, 7×4, 2×6) and Deepti Sharma’s composed half-centuries (58, 58b, 3×4, 1×6), along with excellent supporting performances by Smriti Mandhana (45, 58b, 8×3 24 and Richsa Gho34 2×6), helped India into the final of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup on Sunday at the Stadium DY Patil to win a challenging but slightly subpar total of 298 for six against South Africa.Called to bat after a two-hour delay due to unseasonal rain, India got off to a flying start as Shafali, called off for knockouts after an injury to Pratika Rawal, and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (45), cheered on by a raucous home crowd of 45,000, added 104 in a 106-ball total. It was only the second opening stand hundred in a WODI World Cup Final.Playing magnificent strokes, the duo brought up India’s fifty in just 39 balls as the tournament hosts raced out to 64 for no loss in 10 overs. Looking to take on the bowlers by attacking repeatedly, Shafali hit two sixes down the ground – the second one from de Klerk was something to watch.Scoring her first WODI fifty in more than three years – the last also came against South Africa in July 2022 – Shafali, who scored her fifth half-century from 49 balls, took the bull by the horns, charging at the Proteas before reaching her first century when she perished trying to clean up in the middle of a spirited Ayabonga, raiding three bowls and taking nine khakas. at regular intervals to keep South Africa in the game.Shafali’s 87 is now the highest individual score by an Indian opening batsman in a World Cup final – men’s or women’s, ODI or T20I. At 21 years and 278 days, she is also the youngest player to reach a fifty in a Women’s World Cup ODI final.The Proteas got a breather when Mandhana was caught behind as she tried to cut Chloe Tryon, but Shafali, who hit the very first ball she faced in the final – off Khaka – for four, went on to add 62 in 62 balls for the second wicket with semi-final centurion Jemimah Rodrigues (24 not out).In pursuit of their first World Cup triumph as India, South Africa were also boosted by the economical spell of left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, who took 47 in 10 overs on the batting beauty to stall India’s innings.South Africa fought back after India’s brilliant start and did well to deny the tournament hosts the psychological mark of 300 points. Still, India posted the second highest total in Women’s World Cup ODI history for 356 in Australia’s five matches against England in the 2022 World Cup.Khaka, striking in consecutive overs, removed Shafali and Jemimaha (caught at extra cover) while Mlaba bowled skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20 off 29 balls) to end her promising partnership with Deepti Sharma for the fourth wicket.India were cruising at 223 for three in the 39th over when Harman was dismissed trying to play a late cut. That knock left them all out for just 75 in the remaining overs, mostly thanks to Richa’s lusty hitting and her 35-ball, 47-run sixth-wicket partnership with Deepti bringing the crowd to life. When the two teams met in the group stage, Richa hammered with a blistering power, fighting 94 off 77 balls, and gave India’s innings a boost on Sunday when he smashed de Klerk and Kapp for sixes – a super hit over the extra cover of the wide yorker.Anchoring the innings, Deepti stroked her 18th ODI half-century and third of the tournament before being run out on the last ball.While their ground fight was brilliant, South Africa dropped a couple of catches. They dropped Shafali first when, batting on 53 in the 21st over, she edged Sune Luus to deep mid-wicket where Anneke Bosch fluffed a chance, and in the 40th over skipper Laura Wolvaardt edged Deepti’s catch at long-on. Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp dropped a slightly harder chance to Deepti off her own bowling.
