NAVI MUMBAI, India | November 3, 2025
The long wait is over. The India Women’s National Cricket Team, led by the unflappable Harmanpreet Kaur, scripted history on Sunday, conquering the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 by defeating a valiant South Africa side by 52 runs in a pulsating final at the DY Patil Stadium.
In a match delayed by rain but not diminished in spirit, the ‘Women in Blue’ put on a masterclass of collective performance, driven by a sensational innings from opener Shafali Verma and a match-winning five-wicket haul from all-rounder Deepti Sharma.
The Batting Blitz: Verma Sets the Tone
Put in to bat after South Africa won the toss, India posted a challenging total of 298 for 7 in their 50 overs—the second-highest total ever recorded in a Women’s World Cup final. The innings was powered by a blistering start from the 21-year-old Shafali Verma, who was a late inclusion in the squad but shone brightly on the biggest stage.
Verma hammered a career-best 87 off just 78 balls, establishing a dominant 104-run opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana (45). After the openers fell, Deepti Sharma provided crucial stability, scoring an composed 58 off 58 balls and partnering with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) to ensure India maintained momentum heading into the death overs. A late, explosive cameo from Richa Ghosh (34 off 24 balls) pushed the total near the 300-mark, leaving South Africa with a daunting chase of 299.
South Africa’s Fight and Deepti’s Decisiveness
South Africa’s chase was anchored by their captain, Laura Wolvaardt, who delivered a captain’s knock under immense pressure. Wolvaardt scored a brilliant 101 off 98 balls, attempting to steer her team to their first-ever World Cup crown. She formed important partnerships, but India’s spin attack proved too potent for the rest of the Proteas lineup.
The decisive moment came from the Player of the Tournament, Deepti Sharma. After contributing with the bat, Sharma dismantled the South African middle and lower order, claiming a historic figure of 5 wickets for 39 runs. Her dismissal of the centurion Wolvaardt, caught dramatically by a diving Amanjot Kaur, effectively sealed the match, sending the packed stadium into rapturous celebration. South Africa were eventually bundled out for 246 in 45.3 overs.
History is Made
The victory not only delivers India their first-ever ICC Women’s ODI World Cup trophy after heart-breaking final losses in 2005 and 2017 but also makes them the first team from Asia to lift a global title across formats in women’s cricket.
Shafali Verma, for her exceptional all-round performance (87 runs and 2/36), was rightly named the Player of the Match, while Deepti Sharma, with 215 runs and a tournament-high 22 wickets, was crowned the Player of the Tournament. The triumph signifies a watershed moment for Indian women’s cricket, promising a new era of dominance on the global stage.
