In front of a roaring home crowd at the DY Patil Stadium, India finally scripted the fairytale that had eluded them for two decades. After heartbreaks in 2005 and 2017, the Indian women’s cricket team lifted their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy, defeating South Africa by a commanding margin to etch their name alongside the sport’s elite nations.
It was a night that began with anxiety and ended in tears of joy. Rain delays, a heavy outfield, and high expectations all added to the tension, but once the match began, India played with clarity and composure first posting a competitive 298 with the bat and then producing a disciplined, relentless bowling display to bowl out South Africa and clinch the title.
After South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and chose to bowl, India’s openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana walked out with purpose. The duo started cautiously, respecting the movement off the surface against the new ball from Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka, before gradually taking charge.
By the fifth over, Shafali had found her rhythm striking back-to-back boundaries through cover and midwicket. Mandhana, as ever, provided the calm at the other end, relying on timing and placement to keep the scoreboard ticking. Their 100-run opening stand provided the ideal platform for a big total and immediately put South Africa on the defensive.
At 15 overs, India were 89/0, and the crowd sensed something special brewing. Every time Shafali found the boundary, the stands erupted in a sea of blue flags. When Mandhana followed with her elegant square drives, the partnership looked unbreakable.
The breakthrough for South Africa came when Tryon got better of Smriti Mandhana for 45 a wicket that briefly silenced the stadium. Shafali missed out on a well-deserved hundred, but her innings had done the damage. India were 172/3 by the 30th over, after Jemimah Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur departed in quick succession.
At that moment, the innings could have lost its direction, but Deepti Sharma ensured it didn’t. Walking in at 30 overs, she steadied the ship with calm precision, turning the strike over and punishing anything short. Partnering briefly with Amanjot Kaur, Deepti played with the balance of experience and nerve crucial qualities in a World Cup final. Richa Ghosh’s arrival late in the innings added firepower. She played a 24-ball cameo worth 34 runs, hitting cleanly over the infield and ensuring India crossed the psychological 290 mark. Deepti’s unbeaten 55 was the spine of the innings a study in composure and understanding of match context.
India ended with 298 for 6 in their 50 overs a total that looked imposing under lights, especially on a surface offering turn and grip for spinners.
South Africa’s Chase: Wolvaardt Leads the Charge
South Africa’s reply began steadily, with Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits showing early patience against the new ball attack of Renuka Singh and Kranti. Despite a few edges and close calls, the Proteas openers kept the scoreboard moving, reaching 51 without loss after nine overs. Then came a moment of brilliance that would change the rhythm of the chase. A sharp direct hit from Amanjot Kaur at mid-off caught Brits short of her crease the first crack in the South African innings and a moment that lifted India’s energy in the field.
Wolvaardt, however, stood firm. The South African skipper, who had already scored a century in the semifinal, once again rose to the occasion. Her innings of 101 off 97 balls was a masterclass in composure under pressure guiding the chase, finding gaps, and punishing India’s spinners when they overpitched. Her muted celebration upon reaching the hundred said it all: there was still a job to do. India’s bowlers, sensing the need for control, tightened their lengths. Shafali Verma, introduced as a part-time bowler, struck twice in quick succession, removing Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp. Her golden arm tilted the balance India’s way as South Africa slipped from 113/2 to 123/4.
Deepti Sharma, continuing her dream night, returned to the attack and struck again first removing Sinalo Jafta, caught by Radha Yadav, and then delivering the crucial breakthrough of Annerie Dercksen, who was threatening to build a dangerous partnership with Wolvaardt. The game was now hanging on Wolvaardt’s shoulders. She reached her hundred in the 40th over, but India refused to relent. The bowlers Renuka, Charani, Radha and Shafali maintained a suffocating line, conceding only 4–5 runs an over while forcing the batters into errors.
The Defining Moment: Deepti and Amanjot Combine for Glory
With South Africa at 219/6 after 41 overs, needing 80 runs from the final nine, Deepti Sharma once again took center stage. She floated one just outside off stump, drawing Wolvaardt into a drive. The shot didn’t connect cleanly, and the ball looped low towards midwicket, where Amanjot Kaur dived forward to complete a nervy, match-defining catch.
It was poetic symmetry the same player who had produced the run-out earlier now finished off South Africa’s hopes with a stunning grab. As Wolvaardt walked back to applause from both sets of fans, India’s players huddled together, sensing the inevitable. From there, it was about control and composure. The lower order offered little resistance as the required rate climbed beyond reach. Deepti, fittingly, finished her spell with figures that reflected her influence miserly, strategic, and decisive.
As the final wicket fell, the DY Patil Stadium erupted. Players sprinted across the field, embracing each other in disbelief and delight. The long wait was finally over India were world champions.
For Harmanpreet Kaur, it was redemption after two near-misses. For Deepti Sharma, a night of all-round brilliance. And for the younger generation Shafali, Jemimah, Amanjot it was proof that India’s depth and belief have reached new heights. From losing by 98 runs in the 2005 final to falling agonizingly short by nine in 2017, India’s journey has been long, emotional, and determined. This victory at home, under lights, against a quality South African side completes that arc.
Final Scorecard Snapshot
India: 298/6 (50 overs)
Shafali Verma 87, Deepti Sharma 55, Smriti Mandhana 46; Khaka 2/49
South Africa: 234 all out (46.3 overs)
Laura Wolvaardt 101, Dercksen 34; Deepti Sharma 3/42, Shafali Verma 2/32
Result: India won by 64 runs
A Moment That Transcends Numbers
For India, this wasn’t just a title it was a statement. From playing in front of half-empty stands in 2013 to sold-out arenas in 2025, women’s cricket has come full circle. The team’s triumph in Navi Mumbai will resonate far beyond this night inspiring a generation, elevating a sport, and ensuring that, finally, Indian women stand atop the cricketing world.
