While Suryakumar Yadav’s men’s team celebrated a series-leveling victory in Hobart, their attention quickly turned to another crucial match. The entire dressing room was captivated by the Women’s World Cup final unfolding in Navi Mumbai, where Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad was locked in a fierce battle against South Africa.
A viral photo perfectly encapsulated the moment: Head coach Gautam Gambhir, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, batter Rinku Singh, fielding coach T Dilip, and several other players and support staff were all seen intently watching the women’s team’s historic performance on screen from their Hobart dressing room.
The Indian women’s team was vying for their first-ever World Cup title. They had earned their spot in the final by defeating seven-time champions Australia in a thrilling semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium. This marked India’s third appearance in a World Cup final, having previously reached this stage in 2005 and 2017.
Historically, India has dominated South Africa in recent ODI encounters, winning five of their last six matches, with their only defeat to them in this very tournament. South Africa, on the other hand, was making their maiden appearance in a World Cup final, having decisively beaten four-time champions England in their semi-final in Guwahati.
In Navi Mumbai, the final began two hours later than scheduled due to a wet outfield, though fortunately, no overs were lost. Batting first, India maintained an unchanged lineup. Shafali Verma delivered an electrifying performance, smashing 87 runs off just 78 balls – her first half-century in over three years. Her brilliant innings, featuring seven fours and two sixes, anchored a crucial 104-run opening partnership with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, propelling India to 172 for three after 30 overs.
South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka managed to slow India’s momentum by claiming two quick wickets, dismissing both Shafali and Jemimah Rodrigues (who scored 24 runs). Shafali, who was brought back into the squad for the knockout stage following Pratika Rawal’s injury, had a close call, being dropped on 56 before eventually falling to Khaka.
At the time this report was being finalized, India was confidently positioned at 211 for three after 37 overs, laying a strong foundation for what was hoped to be a historic total in their pursuit of a first World Cup title.