Fifty years after making their debut on the world stage, India’s women’s cricket team finally claimed the ultimate glory — their maiden World Cup title. In front of a roaring crowd in Navi Mumbai, they defeated South Africa by 52 runs in a dramatic and emotional final.
South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt played an outstanding innings, scoring a century that took her tournament tally to 571 runs — the highest ever by a woman in a single World Cup. But her brilliance couldn’t outshine India’s all-round heroics.
Shafali Verma, brought in as an injury replacement for Pratika Rawal, turned out to be the surprise star of the final. She smashed a career-best 87 off 78 balls and picked up two crucial wickets, including the prized scalp of Marizanne Kapp. Alongside her, Deepti Sharma anchored India’s innings with a composed 58 and then sealed the deal with a deadly yorker that bowled Annerie Dercksen. Moments later, she dismissed Wolvaardt with help from a stunning diving catch by Amanjot Kaur — marking India’s third attempt at a World Cup final as the lucky one.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur could barely be heard over the thunderous cheers when she addressed the crowd. “We lost three games in a row earlier, but we knew this team had something special,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
Head coach Amol Mazumdar called it a defining moment for Indian cricket: “They’ve made every Indian proud. This is a watershed moment.”
India’s total of 298 for seven was built on teamwork — Shafali and Deepti’s fifties, Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 34, and the squad’s unrelenting spirit. South Africa, meanwhile, will be haunted by their missed chances, including a dropped catch from Anneke Bosch that let Shafali off the hook on 56.
For Shafali, just 21, this victory capped a whirlwind week — from being named an injury replacement to striking the match-winning knock in the final. Her surprise bowling spell turned the game on its head, proving that sometimes instinct wins championships.
As the players celebrated under the Mumbai night sky, it wasn’t just a trophy they lifted — it was a moment 50 years in the making, one that will redefine women’s cricket in India forever.
