Navi Mumbai, November 2, 2025 - India erupted in jubilation as the women's cricket team clinched their first-ever ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling final held at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This historic win marks a watershed moment for women's cricket in India, a sport that has long fought for recognition and equal opportunities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in celebrating this momentous victory, lauding the team's exceptional teamwork, tenacity, skill, and confidence. "A spectacular win by the Indian team in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Finals," Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). "Their performance in the final was marked by great skill and confidence. The team showed exceptional teamwork and tenacity throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our players. This historic win will motivate future champions to take up sports". He emphasized that this victory would serve as an inspiration for future generations of athletes to pursue their sporting dreams.
The final witnessed India posting a competitive total of 298/7 in their 50 overs, propelled by a brilliant innings from Shafali Verma, who scored 87 runs. Deepti Sharma also contributed a crucial half-century. In response, South Africa fought valiantly, but India's bowlers, spearheaded by Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani, proved too strong, restricting them to 246. Deepti Sharma took a five-wicket haul. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt's dismissal in the 42nd over was a turning point. Shafali Verma was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performance, while Smriti Mandhana was named Player of the Tournament.
This victory is particularly significant as it's the first time the Indian women's team has lifted the World Cup trophy, having previously reached the final in 2005 and 2017. This was also the first women's World Cup final that did not involve either Australia or England. The win not only signifies India's maiden World Cup title but also underscores the growing strength and popularity of women's cricket both in India and across the globe.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and various state associations are expected to announce significant rewards and incentives for the team, further boosting the sport's profile. The winning Indian team was awarded prize money of $4.48 million (around Rs 37.3 crore), a 239 percent increase from the last tournament. South Africa received $2.24 million (around Rs 18.6 crore) as runner-up.
As the celebrations continue, this historic triumph is expected to usher in a new era for women's cricket in India, inspiring countless young girls to pick up the bat and ball and chase their dreams on the international stage.
