Navi Mumbai witnessed a historic turnaround as the Indian women's cricket team stormed into the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 final, set to clash with South Africa on November 2. Their journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, marked by early dominance, a mid-tournament slump, and a phenomenal resurgence culminating in a record-breaking semi-final victory against Australia.
India's campaign began on a high note with convincing wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In their opening match against Sri Lanka, India posted 269/8, powered by half-centuries from Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur. The bowlers then restricted Sri Lanka to 211, with Deepti Sharma shining with 3/54. The winning momentum continued against Pakistan, with India posting 247 and then bowling out their opponents for 159, Kranti Gaud and Deepti Sharma picking up three wickets each.
However, the path to the final wasn't without its challenges. The team faced a major setback, suffering three consecutive defeats against South Africa, Australia, and England. The loss against South Africa was a close one, with India falling short by three wickets despite Richa Ghosh's brilliant 94. Australia inflicted another narrow defeat, chasing down India's imposing 330 with Alyssa Healy's magnificent 142 leading the charge. The third consecutive defeat came against England in another thriller, where India fell short by just four runs despite Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma's contributions.
These defeats put India's semi-final hopes in jeopardy, but the team displayed remarkable resilience to bounce back. They secured a crucial win against New Zealand by 53 runs (DLS method), with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal scoring centuries. This victory was essential to keep their hopes alive, setting the stage for a dramatic semi-final clash against the defending champions, Australia.
In a nail-biting semi-final, Australia posted a formidable 338, with Phoebe Litchfield scoring a century and Ashleigh Gardner contributing a quickfire 63. India's chase began shakily, but Jemimah Rodrigues played the innings of her life, scoring an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur supported her with a crucial 89, and their 167-run partnership anchored the chase. Despite losing wickets in the latter stages, Rodrigues remained composed and guided India to a historic five-wicket victory with nine balls to spare. This was the highest-ever successful run chase in a Women's World Cup knockout game, marking only India's 12th win over Australia in 61 matches.
Jemimah Rodrigues was named Player of the Match for her spectacular performance. Her journey to this point has been one of perseverance, having faced scrutiny and a period out of the squad earlier in the year. Her innings in the semi-final was a testament to her talent and mental strength, proving to be a defining moment in her career.
India's epic journey now culminates in a final showdown against South Africa at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. This marks the third time India has reached the World Cup final, having previously finished as runners-up in 2005 and 2017. South Africa, on the other hand, will be playing in their first-ever Women's World Cup final. The match is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM local time on November 2. Eloise Sheridan and Jacquline Williams have been appointed as on-field umpires for the final. Sue Redfern will be the Third Umpire, Nimali Perera will be the Fourth Umpire, and Michelle Pereira will serve as the Match Referee.
The stage is set for a thrilling final, with India looking to capitalize on their momentum and secure their maiden Women's ODI World Cup title.
