Indian cricketers Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur share a moment of triumph after their World Cup victory.
India’s women’s cricket team has made history, clinching their very first ICC Women’s World Cup title! This monumental achievement was spearheaded by two incredible performances: Smriti Mandhana, who ended the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer with a remarkable 434 runs, and Deepti Sharma, whose phenomenal bowling spell of 5 wickets for just 39 runs devastated South Africa’s chase, dismissing them for 246 in Navi Mumbai on November 3.
Mandhana’s individual brilliance throughout the World Cup was truly exceptional. Her consistent form saw her surpass Mithali Raj’s record for the best batting performance by an Indian in a World Cup. Across nine innings, she maintained an impressive average of 54.25, notching up one century and two half-centuries, with her highest score being a magnificent 109.
Smriti Mandhana also delivered an incredibly emotional speech following India’s World Cup triumph, reflecting on the team’s journey.
A related video featured Jemimah Rodrigues, highlighting her popularity among young fans and the outpouring of well wishes received by the team ahead of the World Cup final.
“Every World Cup we’ve participated in brought its share of heartbreaks. Yet, we always felt a greater calling – not just to win, but to nurture and expand women’s cricket,” Mandhana shared in her post-match interview. “To finally lift this World Cup today – I will take those 45 sleepless nights any day for this moment. The previous World Cup defeat was particularly tough, but it gave us a clear direction: to enhance our fitness, strength, and overall game. What truly sets this team apart, and often goes unnoticed, is our incredible unity. We stood by each other through thick and thin, genuinely celebrating every success. The team atmosphere this time was overwhelmingly positive and cohesive. I believe that made all the difference.”
Having won the toss, South Africa opted to bowl first, a decision that initially seemed promising. However, India swiftly put up a challenging total of 298/7 in their allotted 50 overs. The innings was anchored by a magnificent century partnership between Smriti Mandhana, who scored 45, and Shafali Verma, who blazed her way to 87 runs. Following this, Verma teamed up with Jemimah Rodrigues (24) to add another crucial 62 runs to the scoreboard. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) and Deepti Sharma then contributed a vital 52-run partnership, further solidifying India’s position. The innings concluded with a powerful late surge from Deepti Sharma, who finished on 58, supported by Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 34. For South Africa, Ayabonga Khaka was the standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 58 runs.
South Africa’s response started positively, with their openers building a fifty-run stand before Tazmin Brits was dismissed for 23. Despite a valiant effort and impressive batting from captain Laura Wolvaardt, India’s bowlers, particularly Shafali Verma (2/36) and Shree Charani, managed to apply pressure, reducing South Africa to 148/5. Wolvaardt, maintaining her exceptional form after scoring 169 against England in the semi-final, then forged a critical 61-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Annerie Dercksen (37), rekindling hopes for South Africa.
However, the tide decisively turned when Deepti Sharma stepped up, breaking the partnership by dismissing both well-set batters. This crucial intervention left South Africa reeling at 221/8. In a historic moment, Deepti not only secured a four-wicket haul, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this in a World Cup final, but she went on to complete her five-wicket haul. Her outstanding performance sealed India’s glorious maiden World Cup title, as South Africa were eventually bowled out for 246 runs.