India Clinches First ICC Women's World Cup Title with Victory Over South Africa
Historic Win for India in Women's World Cup
On Sunday, India celebrated a historic moment by securing their first ICC Women's World Cup trophy after defeating South Africa in a thrilling final. Former Indian captain Mithali Raj expressed her pride and emotion, stating, "I just want to hug them." She praised the team's remarkable comeback in the tournament, especially after facing a tough phase where they lost three consecutive matches, raising doubts about their chances of reaching the semifinals. However, under the guidance of Amol Majumdar and the players' determination, India not only secured a spot in the knockout stage but also triumphed in the final to claim their inaugural Women's World Cup title.
Mithali shared her joy post-match, saying, "I am extremely happy and emotional that India has finally won the World Cup. We have all been waiting for this for years, and we finally got to see it happen." South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. A century partnership between Smriti Mandhana (45 runs off 58 balls with eight fours) and Shefali Verma set the stage for India's victory, followed by a 62-run partnership between Shefali (87 runs off 78 balls with seven fours and two sixes) and Jemimah Rodrigues (24 runs off 37 balls). India reached a commendable score of 166/2.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20 runs off 29 balls with two fours) and Deepti Sharma added 52 runs to push India past the 200-run mark. Thanks to impressive innings from Deepti (58 runs off 58 balls with three fours and one six) and Richa Ghosh (34 runs off 24 balls with three fours and two sixes), India finished their innings at 298/7 in 50 overs. Ayabonga Khaka was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking three wickets for 58 runs.
In pursuit of the target, South Africa started with a partnership of fifty runs, with Tazmin Brits (23 runs off 35 balls with two fours and one six) being the first wicket to fall. Despite a strong performance from captain Laura Wolvaardt, Shefali Verma (2/36) and Shree Chani's excellent bowling restricted South Africa to 148/5. Wolvaardt formed a crucial 61-run partnership with Anneke Dirkse (37 runs off 35 balls with one four and two sixes), gradually increasing the pressure on India.