The Indian women’s cricket team lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup trophy on Sunday, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a memorable final. The match, played amid high expectations and nervous excitement, turned into a night that Indian sports fans will never forget.
For many years, Indian women’s cricket came close but could not take the final step — whether it was the heartbreak of 2005, the painful loss in 2017, or the disappointment in 2020. But this time, under the leadership of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the dream finally came true. With this win, Harmanpreet now joins legendary names like Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma, who have all led India to World Cup glory in the past.
The biggest stars of the night were young Shafali Verma and all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Shafali, who was not even in the original squad a week ago, produced a performance that fans will talk about for years. At just 21, she played a fearless and powerful innings of 87 runs, giving India a strong start. Later, she came back with the ball and picked up two important wickets, breaking South Africa’s momentum when the match looked tense. Her all-round show earned her the Player of the Match award, making it a perfect comeback story after the heartbreak she faced as a teenager in the 2020 final. 
Deepti Sharma was equally brilliant. She stood firm with the bat and scored a composed 58 runs at a crucial time. When it was India’s turn to bowl, she turned into the hero again, picking up five wickets and stopping South Africa’s chase. With a total of 20 wickets in the tournament, she was rightfully named Player of the Tournament. Her calm style, patience, and steady performance throughout the series played a huge part in India’s success.
South Africa did not give up easily. Captain Laura Wolvaardt fought hard with a stunning century, showing great determination. At one stage, she kept South Africa’s hopes alive with strong partnerships. But India’s bowlers continued putting pressure, and important breakthroughs came at just the right time. Amanjot Kaur’s smart run-out and Shafali’s timely wickets helped turn the match in India’s favour, and Deepti’s yorker to remove a key batter was a turning point.
Earlier in the match, India had a fast and confident start despite rain delaying the game by 90 minutes. Shafali and Smriti Mandhana attacked early and put up a century opening stand — the first ever for India in a World Cup knockout match. Mandhana looked elegant as always and scored 45 before getting dismissed. Jemimah Rodrigues showed patience at the crease, helping steady the innings before she also walked back. Captain Harmanpreet tried to rebuild after the middle-order wobble and stitched a vital partnership with Deepti. Richa Ghosh played an aggressive cameo towards the end, hitting big shots that pushed India close to the 300-run mark.
India finished with 298 runs, which eventually proved more than enough. The total was the second-highest in a Women’s World Cup final match. South Africa, chasing a big target under pressure, managed partnerships but could not keep up once wickets started falling regularly.
As soon as the winning moment arrived, Indian players broke into tears and celebrations. Harmanpreet was seen overwhelmed with emotion. Teammates hugged and cried on the field, and the stadium echoed with cheers, chants, and pride. Fans in India also erupted in joy, remembering all the struggles and close calls from previous tournaments.
