In a stunning turn of events, India secured a historic victory against defending champions Australia, propelling them into the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 final. Chasing an imposing 339, the Indian team displayed remarkable resilience and skill to achieve a five-wicket win in just 48.3 overs. This remarkable chase now stands as the highest successful run chase in Women’s ODI World Cup history. The undisputed star of the match was Jemimah Rodrigues, who delivered a masterclass with an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls. She single-handedly anchored India’s chase after arriving at the crease at number three. Her crucial 167-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (89) proved pivotal, shifting the momentum and dashing Australia’s hopes of reaching another final.
Reflecting on her emotional performance, Player of the Match Jemimah Rodrigues shared deeply personal insights. “I want to thank Jesus, could not do this on my own. I want to thank my mom, dad and coach and every single person who believed in me. It was really hard this last month, it feels like a dream and it still has not sunk in,” she stated. In a surprising revelation, Rodrigues admitted she wasn’t aware she’d be batting at number three until just five minutes before walking onto the field. “Was taking a shower, just told them to let me know. Five minutes before entering in, I was told I was batting at three,” she revealed.
Rodrigues emphasized that her focus was solely on securing a win for India, not personal milestones. “Today was not about my fifty or my hundred, about making India win. Everything that happened so far, was a setup for this. Last year, I was dropped from this World Cup. I was in good form. But things kept happening back-to-back, and could not control anything,” she added, alluding to past struggles and a period of significant anxiety. “I have almost cried every day through this tour. Not doing well mentally, going through anxiety. I knew I had to show up, and God took care of everything.” She credited her inner strength and faith for guiding her through the challenging chase, quoting a Bible scripture about standing still and letting divine forces fight. The emotional outpouring continued as she witnessed India’s victory, with her teammates, particularly Deepti Sharma, offering crucial support throughout the nerve-wracking final overs.