India’s women’s cricket team ended a 47-year wait for an ICC World Cup title on Sunday night, defeating South Africa by 52 runs before a capacity crowd at the D.Y. Patil Stadium. The victory marks the country’s first-ever World Cup crown after heartbreaking losses in the 2005 and 2017 finals.
“For big occasions, you don’t have to plan anything because we have visualised it and dreamt about it so many times,” captain Harmanpreet Kaur had said on the eve of the final. Twenty-four hours later, carried by chants and prayers from the stands, her team turned that dream into reality.
Chasing a formidable 299 runs after a rain-delayed toss, South Africa fell short despite captain Laura Wolvaardt’s valiant century. The Proteas were bowled out for 246 in 45.3 overs, with Deepti Sharma delivering a match-winning spell of 5/39.
India’s opening pair provided a commanding start. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana raced to 64 without loss in the first 10 overs, crossing 100 in just 17.2 overs. The duo put together a 104-run partnership that set the platform for India’s imposing total.
Shafali’s presence in the final itself carried a redemption arc. The 21-year-old had been playing domestic cricket in Surat for Haryana just days earlier, having been dropped from the ODI squad a year ago. She returned as a late replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal before the semi-finals and seized her opportunity with both hands.
Her innings of 87 off 78 balls displayed a maturity beyond her years. Gone was the reckless aerial game; instead, she chose calculated aggression, playing primarily along the ground. Mandhana fell for 45 off 58 balls, caught off Chloe Tryon in the 18th over, but Shafali brought up her half-century off the final ball of that same over.
Old habits returned briefly when she holed out to Sune Luus at mid-off in the 28th over, falling 13 runs short of what would have been a memorable century. The middle order wobbled as Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and Harmanpreet (20) departed without making substantial contributions.
Deepti Sharma steadied the innings with a composed 58 off 58 balls. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh provided the late spark with a quickfire 34 off 24 balls, though South Africa’s bowlers fought back to restrict India to 298/7. Ayabonga Khaka led the bowling attack with 3/58.
The chase began promisingly for South Africa. Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits put together a fifty-run opening stand before Amanjot Kaur’s direct hit ran out Brits for 23. Sree Charani trapped Anneke Bosch lbw for a six-ball duck, giving India early control.
Harmanpreet’s inspired bowling change proved decisive. Bringing Shafali into the attack, the captain watched as her young opener struck twice in successive overs. Shafali dismissed former South Africa captain Luus (25) off her second ball, then removed her Delhi Capitals teammate Marizanne Kapp for just four runs. Harmanpreet’s joy was uncontained as she jumped into her young bowler’s arms, with Shafali hoisting her captain off the ground in celebration.
Desperate for partners, Wolvaardt found an ally in Annerie Dercksen. Their fifty-run partnership eased frayed nerves and took South Africa past 200. Wolvaardt reached her second successive hundred in testing circumstances, an innings of exceptional quality.
Any joy proved short-lived. Deepti struck immediately after the milestone, dismissing Wolvaardt and triggering a dramatic collapse. South Africa crumbled from 209/5 to 246 all out as Deepti’s scintillating spell cleaned up the lower order.
With 53 runs needed from the last five overs and only one wicket remaining, Nadine de Klerk tried to replicate her league stage heroics. The mountain proved too steep to climb, and as the final wicket fell, raucous celebrations erupted across the stadium.
The BCCI announced a Rs 51 crore cash reward for the team, covering players, coaches, selectors and support staff. Combined with the ICC’s prize money of USD 4.48 million, the rewards reflect women’s cricket’s rapid rise. The ICC prize represents more than triple the amount Australia received in 2022.
The venue carried its own significance. Three years ago, the D.Y. Patil Stadium hosted the first ball of the Women’s Premier League, a tournament that helped prepare this team for their crowning moment and made Harmanpreet, Smriti, Deepti and Shafali household names across India.
