In a historic moment for Indian cricket, the women’s team clinched their first-ever Women’s World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling final at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur hailed the victory as “just the beginning,” emphasizing the team’s ambition to make such triumphs a regular occurrence. The win came after India’s previous heartbreaks in 2005 and 2017, where they finished as runners-up. Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma were the standout performers, with Verma scoring a crucial 87 and Sharma taking five wickets, including the decisive dismissal of South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who had valiantly scored 101. The match, delayed by rain, saw India post a challenging total of 298-7 before bowling out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs. Kaur’s strategic decision to bring in Verma as a part-time spinner proved pivotal, turning the tide in India’s favor. The victory was celebrated by a jubilant home crowd and millions across the cricket-crazy nation, marking a significant milestone for women’s cricket in India. Kaur expressed her pride in the team’s resilience, especially after overcoming three consecutive defeats in the league phase and defeating seven-time champions Australia in the semi-final. For South Africa, it was a third consecutive World Cup final loss, but captain Wolvaardt remained optimistic, vowing to grow from the experience. Sharma, named the tournament’s best player, concluded with 22 wickets and 215 runs, cementing her status as a key player in India’s historic win.
‘Just the beginning’: India captain says plan is to make Women’s World Cup win a habit
