Navi Mumbai, November 2: The Indian women’s cricket team etched their name in history with a sensational 52-run victory over South Africa in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 final at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium. This triumph marked India’s first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup title, sparking scenes of jubilation across the nation.
Batting first after being sent in, India posted a strong 298/7, built on a commanding 87-run knock from Shafali Verma and a composed 58 from Deepti Sharma. The duo, supported by Smriti Mandhana (45) and Richa Ghosh (34), ensured India put up a challenging total despite late wickets. South African pacer Ayabonga Khaka led the bowling with figures of 3/58, while the Proteas contained India in the final overs to keep the total below 300.
Chasing 299, South Africa looked promising at 209/5 with skipper Laura Wolvaardt anchoring the innings with a superb century (101). However, Deepti Sharma’s magical spell turned the contest decisively in India’s favour. Her double breakthrough—removing Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon in the same over—triggered a collapse that saw South Africa bowled out for 246. Deepti finished with brilliant figures of 5/39, while Shafali Verma and Sree Charani contributed crucial wickets.
Earlier, India’s bowlers had to battle hard after a solid South African start, with Tazmin Brits and Wolvaardt adding 50 runs in the powerplay. A stunning direct hit from Amanjot Kaur and Shafali’s twin strikes in quick succession swung the momentum back. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s tactical changes—including introducing Shafali into the attack—proved decisive in controlling the chase.
The final moments were electric as Amanjot Kaur held onto a juggling catch to dismiss Wolvaardt, sealing India’s victory and igniting celebrations across the ground. With this win, India lifted their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup trophy, led by the all-round brilliance of Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma — the architects of a golden chapter in Indian cricket history.
