Historic Triumph: Indian Women's Cricket Team Wins First ICC World Cup Title

A Remarkable Comeback in Women's Cricket

New Delhi [India], December 25: The Indian Women's cricket team made history in 2025 by achieving a stunning comeback, ultimately securing their first ICC Women's World Cup title. This year was a testament to resilience and belief, showcasing the strength of Indian women's cricket.

The journey to the World Cup was fraught with challenges, starting with three consecutive losses against South Africa, Australia, and England, which left the team on the brink of elimination. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, the squad needed a miracle to continue their campaign.

The pivotal moment came when they triumphed over New Zealand by 53 runs. In the semi-finals, India stunned Australia by successfully chasing down 339 runs, marking the highest successful run chase in any World Cup knockout match, whether men's or women's. This victory not only shocked the reigning champions but also signaled India's resurgence on the global stage.

Throughout 2025, India played 23 ODIs, achieving 15 victories, suffering seven defeats, and recording one no result, culminating in an impressive win percentage of 65.22. These statistics highlighted their consistency, while the moments reflected their character.

At the forefront of this historic year was Smriti Mandhana, who had an exceptional season as an Indian batter. In 23 ODIs, she amassed 1362 runs with an average of 61.90 and an impressive strike rate of 109.92, including five centuries and five half-centuries. Mandhana emerged as the highest run-scorer in ODIs for 2025.

She also made headlines by achieving the fastest ODI century by an Indian, reaching the milestone in just 50 balls against Australia, breaking Virat Kohli's previous record of 52 balls.

Her performance in the World Cup was equally remarkable, scoring 434 runs in nine matches at an average of 54.25, which included a century and two fifties, placing her second on the tournament's highest run-scorer's list. Mandhana rose to the occasion against formidable opponents, scoring 80 against Australia, 88 against England, 109 against New Zealand, and a crucial 45 in the final, where she formed a vital partnership with Shafali Verma.

Additionally, Mandhana surpassed the 5,000-run milestone in women's ODIs, becoming the fifth player to do so. She now has a total of 5,322 runs in 117 matches and is tied with Australian legend Meg Lanning for the most international centuries in women's cricket, each having 17 tons.

Another significant story from the tournament was Deepti Sharma's journey, which came full circle in a memorable way. In the 2017 World Cup final, she was the last recognized batter dismissed during India's collapse. In the 2022 edition, a no-ball in a crucial league match against South Africa cost India a semifinal spot.

In 2025, Deepti found redemption, being named Player of the Tournament for her outstanding all-round performance, scoring 215 runs and taking 22 wickets, including a five-wicket haul and a half-century in the final. She became the first cricketer, male or female, to achieve the double of 200-plus runs and 20 wickets in any World Cup, while also becoming the highest wicket-taker for India in Women's World Cup history.

Her performance in the final was pivotal, as she scored a composed 58 runs and dismantled South Africa's batting lineup with figures of 5/39 in 9.3 overs.

Shafali Verma's return added another highlight to the victory. After being dropped from the ODI squad earlier, she made a statement in the final, earning the Player of the Match award with a score of 87 off 78 balls, along with bowling figures of 2/36, showcasing her all-round capabilities.

The World Cup win was a crowning achievement for head coach Amol Muzumdar and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. After previous disappointments in the 2005 and 2017 finals, India delivered a clinical performance to defeat South Africa by 52 runs in the final, fulfilling the nation's long-awaited dream.

India's dominance throughout the year was evident in the batting charts, with Mandhana leading with 1362 runs, followed by Pratika Rawal with 976 runs in 20 matches. Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 771 runs in 20 games, Harleen Deol added 613 runs in 21 matches, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 606 runs in 20 games.

On the bowling front, Deepti Sharma led with 39 wickets in 23 matches, alongside her 596 runs. Sneh Rana followed with 28 wickets in 17 games, while Kranti Gaud and Shree Charani each took 23 wickets in 15 and 18 matches, respectively, and Amanjot Kaur contributed 13 wickets in 10 outings.

The year 2025 will be etched in history as the season when Indian women's cricket achieved its ultimate goal. From despair to triumph, this World Cup victory was not merely a win; it was a powerful statement to the cricketing world.