Navi Mumbai, November 2, 2025 - In a historic moment for Indian cricket, the women's team clinched their maiden World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling final held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This victory marks a turning point for women's cricket in India, a sport that has long battled for recognition and resources.
The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, with a packed crowd cheering on the home team as Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad etched their names in history. After a rain delay of two hours, India, put in to bat, made the most of the conditions, posting a competitive total of 298/7 in their 50 overs. The innings was built on a strong opening partnership of 104 runs between Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali Verma, who top-scored with a sparkling 87 off 78 balls. Deepti Sharma also contributed a crucial half-century, scoring 51 off 53 balls.
South Africa, in their chase, were bundled out for 246 in 45.3 overs. Laura Wolvaardt fought valiantly, scoring a magnificent century (101 off 98 balls). However, she found little support as Deepti Sharma wreaked havoc with herRight arm off-spin, claiming five wickets for just 34 runs.
Shafali Verma was named Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round performance, while Deepti Sharma was declared Player of the Tournament for her consistent performance throughout the World Cup. Deepti finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker with 22 scalps and also scored 215 runs at an average of 30.71.
The victory was particularly sweet for captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who added another record to her name during the final. Kaur now has 331 runs in the knockout matches of the tournament.
The Indian team had a remarkable journey to the final, which included chasing down the highest target in Women's ODI history to stun the seven-time champions Australia in the semi-final. The final was a culmination of years of hard work and belief, as the team outplayed South Africa by a significant margin.
As Deepti Sharma took the final wicket, the stadium erupted in celebration. Fireworks lit up the Mumbai sky as India lifted their maiden Women's World Cup title. This historic win is expected to inspire generations of girls to take up the sport in India.
