India crowned World Cup Champions as new chapter in Women’s cricket begins

India’s historic Women’s World Cup triumph sparks nationwide celebrations, heartfelt tributes, and a US$ 14m reward from BCCI in what many are saying is a new era for Women's cricket.

By Cricexec Staff

|   7:22 am

India women's cricket team celebrates winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, posing with the trophy and the word “Champions” in bold.

Photo Credit: BCCI

India lift their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup

On June 25, 1983, the course of modern cricket history changed when India defeated two-time champions West Indies to claim the ICC World Cup for the first time ever. 

On Sunday, November 2, 2025 at a packed DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, India made history again with a commanding 52-run victory over South Africa to clinch their maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title.

Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian side outplayed the Proteas in all departments to cap off an extraordinary campaign. Deepti Sharma starred with both bat and ball, while Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh contributed significantly in India’s total of 298/7 before the bowlers dismantled South Africa’s chase.

The moment wasn’t just about silverware—it was about opening a new chapter, closing old wounds, and cementing this squad’s place among Indian sporting greats and global cricket lore.

Celebrities and cricketers celebrate India’s semi-final thriller

India’s journey to the title was defined by their record-breaking win over Australia in the semi-final. Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 127 and her 167-run partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur helped India chase down a daunting 339, making it the highest successful chase in women’s ODIs and any World Cup knockout—men’s or women’s.

The victory sparked a flood of reactions on social media.

Virat Kohli posted, “What a victory by our team over a mighty opponent like Australia. A great chase by the girls and a standout performance by Jemimah in a big game. A true display of resilience, belief, and passion. Well done, Team India!”

Rohit Sharma added simply, “Well done Team India.”

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, reflecting on India’s semi-final heroics, lauded the leaders and praised the team’s efforts with both bat and ball.

“Fabulous victory! Well done @JemiRodrigues and @ImHarmanpreet for leading from the front. Shree Charani and @Deepti_Sharma06, you kept the game alive with the ball.
Keep the tricolour flying high,” Tendulkar posted on X.

Mithali Raj, deeply moved, wrote: “Nights like these remind you why you play this game.”

In a more detailed tribute on JioStar, Mithali said, “Well, this is exactly what a fitting semi-final in a World Cup should be, two top teams, India and Australia, going head-to-head. The storytelling continues. Jemimah Rodrigues’ knock was one for the ages, especially in a high-pressure semi-final where India needed individuals to rise to the occasion.”

Sunil Gavaskar lauded Jemimah’s experience and impact on the field. “She has got some experience. She has also played in overseas leagues. She has played in the Big Bash and the Hundred. She knows how to build the innings. She has the experience, and we all know, she has had the ability.”

“Please do not forget what she did in the field. She did two fantastic run-outs. While we are all going gaga about her innings with the bat, do not forget her contributions in the field. India could have been chasing 350, who knows.”

Jemimah’s powerful post-match reflection goes viral

During her post-match interview following the semi-final, Jemimah Rodrigues opened up about the emotional journey behind her match-winning knock and her struggles with anxiety.

“I’ll be very vulnerable here because I know if someone is watching this, they might be going through the same thing. And that’s my whole purpose in saying it—because nobody likes to talk about their weakness. I was going through a lot of anxiety at the start of the tournament, and even before a few games, I used to call my mom and cry.”

She added, “Cry the entire time, let it all out—because when you’re going through anxiety, you just feel numb. You don’t know what to do. You’re trying to be yourself. During this time, my mom and dad supported me a lot. And also, there was Arundhati (Reddy), in front of whom I think I cried almost every day. Later, I joked and said, ‘Don’t come in front of me, I’ll start crying.’ But she checked on me every single day.”

Addressing her return to the XI, she said, “I was dropped from the team. That really hit me. And when you’re dropped, you have a lot of doubts because I always want to contribute to the team. But that day, I couldn’t do much sitting out. And then when you come back in, there’s a lot more pressure with everything that happened over the past month.”

“But sometimes, all you need to do is just hang in there, and things fall into place. So, I’m very grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t, and were there for me and understood me—because I couldn’t do this on my own.”

Actress Deepika Padukone, a mental health advocate, praised her openness by resharing the video on her instagram story: “Thank you @jemimahrodrigues for your vulnerability and for sharing your story…”

India’s final win: a clinical team effort seals the title

In the final, India posted 298/7 after a 100-run opening stand between Shafali Verma (87) and Smriti Mandhana (45). Deepti Sharma (58) and Richa Ghosh (34) helped push the total close to 300. South Africa, chasing 299, looked dangerous at 209/5 before a collapse saw them bowled out for 246.

Laura Wolvaardt’s 101 gave South Africa hope, but Deepti Sharma’s 5/39 and Shafali’s early strikes proved decisive. India sealed a 52-run win to become world champions for the first time in their history.

A Tendulkar Boost Before the Blitz

India’s World Cup final triumph was not only historic for the team but deeply personal for Shafali Verma. Just a week earlier, she had been drafted in as a replacement for injured opener Pratika Rawal. The 21-year-old responded with a fearless 87 and two pivotal wickets — a match-winning all-round display on the grandest stage. But as she revealed after the final, a quiet moment before the game may have set the tone for everything that followed.

Sachin Tendulkar — in attendance at the DY Patil Stadium — offered encouragement to the youngster in the lead-up to the game. The encounter, as Shafali described it, was profoundly uplifting.

“When I saw him (Tendulkar), it gave me an incredible boost,” Shafali said.

“I kept talking to him and he kept giving me confidence,” she added.

“He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him,” Shafali stated after India’s triumph.

It wasn’t just the bat where Shafali left her mark. Entrusted by captain Harmanpreet Kaur with the ball during South Africa’s chase, she claimed two key wickets at crucial moments, underscoring the faith shown in her. In a final where nearly everything went right for India, Shafali’s last-minute inclusion turned into a masterstroke.

A flood of tributes after the final

As the final whistle blew at the DY Patil Stadium, tributes came pouring in from across the globe. The cricketing world, film fraternity, political leaders, and fans flooded social media to hail the Women in Blue for their breakthrough moment on the biggest stage.

Among the first to acknowledge the magnitude of the win was legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who drew parallels with India’s historic 1983 triumph. Tendulkar, who lifted the men’s ODI World Cup in 2011 after six attempts, called this a “defining moment” for Indian women’s cricket.

“1983 inspired an entire generation to dream big and chase those dreams. Today, our Women’s Cricket Team has done something truly special. They have inspired countless young girls across the country to pick up a bat and ball, take the field and believe that they too can lift that trophy one day. This is a defining moment in the journey of Indian women’s cricket. Well done, Team India. You’ve made the whole nation proud,” he posted.

Soon after, posts from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Virender Sehwag, AB de Villiers, the ICC, the Proteas Women’s Team, Neeraj Chopra, Deepika Padukone, and others flooded X and Instagram, praising the Indian team for their resilience and heart. Multiple Indian men’s cricketers — past and present — including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill, also celebrated the win online, echoing the national sentiment of pride and joy.

 

 

 

 

BCCI confirms ₹125 crore (US$ 14.1 million) reward

Ahead of the final, the BCCI had reportedly decided to match the men’s team World Cup reward should India win. A BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity: “The BCCI supports equal pay for men and women and hence there are lot of discussions that if our girls win the World Cup, the reward won’t be anything less compared to men’s global triumph. But it isn’t nice to make an announcement before they win the Cup.”

With India crowned world champions, the full squad—players and support staff—could now receive ₹125 crore (US$ 14.1 million), equal to the amount given to the men’s T20 World Cup-winning squad.

Meanwhile, the ICC had already announced prize money of US$ 4.48 million for the Women’s World Cup winners and US$ 2.24 million for the runners-up.

This victory is more than just a trophy — it’s a statement. For every young girl watching, it’s proof that the biggest stages in cricket are now truly within reach.

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