In a truly historic moment for Indian cricket, the women’s team clinched their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup title. They delivered a commanding 52-run victory over South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. This triumph was a team effort, brilliantly led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and saw spectacular individual performances. Deepti Sharma shone with both bat and ball, scoring a crucial fifty and taking an impressive five wickets, while Shafali Verma dazzled with an explosive 87 runs and contributed with two wickets. This victory finally erased the heartbreak of their previous final appearances in 2005 and 2017.
India posted a formidable total of 298/7, primarily thanks to Shafali Verma’s brilliant 87 runs and Deepti Sharma’s vital 58. In response, South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt fought valiantly with a century (101 runs), but her team was ultimately restricted to 246 runs. The Indian bowling attack was spearheaded by Deepti Sharma, who took an incredible 5/39, and Shafali Verma, who chipped in with 2/36.
This World Cup triumph follows another remarkable performance by the Indian team, where they overcame seven-time champions Australia in the semi-final. In that thrilling encounter, India successfully chased a record-breaking target of 339 runs, with a century from Jemimah Rodrigues and another special display from captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Indian players celebrate with the trophy after their win over South Africa
The historic win ignited widespread celebrations and praise from across the cricketing world and beyond. Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra took to X (formerly Twitter) to exclaim, “World Champions! Congratulations to the Indian women’s cricket team as they win their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup title. What a performance!”
Neeraj Chopra post
Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded the team’s relentless effort, stating, “Congratulations @BCCIWomen, that was one hell of a campaign. Well done to the girls and the entire support staff led by @amolmuzumdar11.” Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan also chimed in, highlighting key individual performances: “Many congratulations to @BCCIWomen for winning the World Cup. Brilliant play. Deepti Sharma, what a player you are. Shafali, well done.”
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan praised the team’s fearless approach, writing, “Incredible win by the women in blue! @TheShafaliVerma’s fearless batting and @Deepti_Sharma06’s all-round class made all the difference. Champions in every sense of the word!”
Shikhar Dhawan post
Even former South African captain AB de Villiers extended his congratulations, acknowledging the broader impact: “Congratulations Team India. Hold your heads high, @ProteasWomenCSA. The global women’s game is booming… what a final, what a tournament!”
AB de Villiers post
Legendary off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed immense pride, posting, “We are the champions, well done Team India. We are so proud of you. Bharat Mahan tha and Rahega hamesha. Jai Hind.” Virender Sehwag, known for his impactful words, wrote, “Champions! Har chauke har wicket, apne Jajbe se poore desh ka dil jeet liya! Proud of our World Champion girls. What a victory. @ImHarmanpreet Kaur aur unki team ne poori generation ko sapna de diya jeetne ka, ladne ka, chamakne ka!”
Virender Sehwag post
Fellow cricketer Ajinkya Rahane celebrated the team’s core values: “Your spirit, grit, and belief brought the World Cup home. Many congratulations to Team India!” From Australia, former wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist also extended his best wishes, “Congratulations, Team India, for winning the maiden World Cup. What a brilliant performance by the team.”
Looking back at India’s innings, it featured a strong century-stand between Smriti Mandhana (45 runs) and Shafali Verma, followed by another crucial 62-run partnership between Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues (24 runs). A solid 52-run collaboration between captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20 runs) and Deepti Sharma ensured India crossed the 200-run mark. The final flourish came from Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh (34 runs), propelling India to a formidable 298/7 in their allotted 50 overs. For South Africa, Ayabonga Khaka was the most successful bowler, taking 3/58.