Smriti Mandhana Celebrates Historic Women's World Cup Victory for India
In a historic moment for Indian cricket, Smriti Mandhana played a pivotal role in leading her team to victory in the Women's World Cup. As the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament, she emphasized the importance of their win not just as a title but as a responsibility to advance women's cricket. Mandhana's outstanding performance, including a record-breaking total of 434 runs, showcased her talent and determination. The team's unity and support for one another were key factors in their success. Discover more about this remarkable achievement and the journey that led to India's first Women's World Cup title.
| Nov 3, 2025, 09:06 IST
Historic Achievement in Women's Cricket
Following an impressive performance in the ICC Women's World Cup, Indian batswoman Smriti Mandhana, who ranked as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, expressed her joy over the title win. She emphasized that this victory was not just about winning a tournament but also about the significant responsibility the team holds in advancing women's cricket. Mandhana's remarkable World Cup journey was filled with records, and after disappointing performances in the previous two editions, she finally led her team to the World Cup trophy. Surpassing Mithali Raj, she achieved the highest runs by an Indian player in World Cup history, scoring 434 runs at an average of 54.25 across nine innings, including one century and two half-centuries, with her top score being 109.
Read More: India Wins Women's World Cup for the First Time, Mithali Raj Overjoyed
In her post-match comments, Mandhana stated, "Throughout our World Cup journeys, we have faced many disappointing performances. However, we have always believed that our responsibility extends beyond just winning; we must continue to promote women's cricket." She also noted the incredible support from domestic fans over the past month and a half, saying that the sleepless nights were worth it. "Winning the World Cup today makes those 45 sleepless nights worthwhile. The last World Cup was undoubtedly tough for all of us. But after that, our clear goal was to become fitter, stronger, and better in every aspect. Honestly, what stands out about this team—something that often goes unmentioned—is our unity. We supported each other through good and bad times, celebrating each other's successes wholeheartedly. This time, the team atmosphere was very positive and engaging, and I believe that made the biggest difference."
Read More: World Cup Final: South Africa Wins Toss, Challenges India to Bat First
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. A partnership of 52 runs between captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20 runs off 29 balls with two fours) and Deepti Sharma helped India surpass 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 with a total of 298/7 in 50 overs. Ayabonga Khaka (3/58) was the leading wicket-taker for South Africa.