After fifty years of waiting since their debut on the world stage, the Indian women’s cricket team finally created history by winning their first-ever Women’s Cricket World Cup, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in an electrifying final held in Navi Mumbai. The stadium was packed with a roaring crowd, and the atmosphere turned emotional as the Indian players celebrated a moment that generations of cricketers had dreamed of.
South African opener Laura Wolvaardt played a remarkable innings, scoring a magnificent century and ending the tournament with 571 runs, the highest by any woman in a single World Cup. However, despite her brilliance, the ultimate triumph belonged to India, which delivered a complete team performance at the biggest stage.
Two unforgettable contributions shaped India’s success. Shafali Verma, who got her place in the playing XI only because of Pratika Rawal’s injury, became the unexpected hero of the night. She scored a career-best 87 runs from 78 balls and later picked up two crucial wickets, turning the match in India’s favour. Deepti Sharma, who added 58 runs with the bat, played a vital role with the ball in the second innings. Her perfect yorker dismissed Annerie Dercksen at a crucial moment, and she soon delivered the most significant breakthrough by removing Wolvaardt. The diving catch taken by Amanjot Kaur at deep midwicket will be remembered as one of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket history.
After the match, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur struggled to speak over the deafening cheers of the crowd. She expressed her gratitude, saying that despite losing three group-stage matches in a row, the team never lost faith in their ability to turn the tournament around. Head coach Amol Mazumdar called the win a watershed moment for Indian cricket, saying that the entire country would be proud of what the team had achieved.
For South Africa, it was heartbreak once again. After emotional exits in the T20 World Cups of 2023 and 2024, another chance slipped through their fingers. Their bowling efforts kept India under 300, and their lower order tried to fight back during the chase, but dropped catches, misjudged reviews, and pressure in key moments cost them the game.
India began strongly with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana putting on 104 runs for the first wicket inside 18 overs. Even though India lost momentum later, the total of 298 still proved more than enough. South Africa’s hopes briefly ignited when Dercksen smashed an 84-metre six, the biggest of the tournament, but once Deepti Sharma returned for her final spell, the collapse began.
One of the biggest surprises of the match was Shafali Verma’s bowling. Before this final, she had bowled only 14 overs across 30 ODIs, but in this match, she shocked everyone by taking two crucial wickets in back-to-back overs. Harmanpreet later revealed that it was purely instinct: she just trusted her gut and gave Shafali the ball, and the youngster showed complete confidence by declaring she could bowl ten overs if needed.
In the final moments of the match, Deepti Sharma claimed her fifth wicket as a catch flew towards cover, and Harmanpreet Kaur held it safely. The Indian players sprinted, hugged, screamed, and cried — and the celebrations officially began. After decades of near misses and heartbreaks, India finally stood at the top of the world.
This win was not just a trophy but a turning point in the history of Indian women’s cricket — one that will inspire young girls, build new academies, attract sponsors, and change the sport‘s future forever.