Navi Mumbai, November 2 (Udaipur Kiran) — The Indian women’s cricket team created history by winning their first-ever ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, ending a 52-year-long wait and scripting a golden chapter in Indian cricket. Under the inspiring leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final to become world champions for the very first time.

Shafali and Deepti Shine as India Post a Strong Total

In the final played at DY Patil Stadium, India batted first after losing the toss and posted a commanding 298/7 in 50 overs.
Replacing the injured Pratika Rawal, Shafali Verma played a blistering knock of 87 runs off 78 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes. She built a solid 104-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana (45) and later added 62 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues (24) to give India a strong foundation.

Deepti Sharma played a vital role in the middle order, scoring 58 runs off 58 balls, while Richa Ghosh added a quickfire 34 off 24 balls to boost India’s total.
For South Africa, Ayabonga Khaka was the most effective bowler, taking three wickets for 58 runs.

Deepti’s Five-Wicket Haul Seals India’s Historic Win

Chasing 299, South Africa’s innings never quite recovered from early setbacks. Despite a valiant 101 off 98 balls by captain Laura Wolvaardt, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure.
India’s bowlers, led by Deepti Sharma’s magical 5-wicket haul and Shafali Verma’s 2 crucial breakthroughs, dismantled the South African challenge, bowling them out for 246 runs in 45.3 overs.

This victory marked India’s first-ever World Cup triumph, having previously fallen short in the 2005 and 2017 finals.

A New Era in Indian Women’s Cricket

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership played a pivotal role in guiding the team to this historic win.
All-rounder Deepti Sharma became the first female cricketer in ODI World Cup history to score 200+ runs and take 15 wickets in a single tournament — an extraordinary feat that underlines her dominance.

This triumph is not just a trophy; it marks the beginning of a new era in Indian women’s cricket — a defining moment when the “Women in Blue” showed the world that India’s cricketing excellence shines equally bright on both sides.

Final Score:

Key Performers:

• Shafali Verma – 87 (78)

• Deepti Sharma – 58 runs & 5 wickets

• Laura Wolvaardt – 101 (98)

• Ayabonga Khaka – 3 wickets