India Women’s National Cricket Team vs South Africa Women’s National Cricket Team
ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final, 2025 — Match Story
The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai turned into a historic evening as India lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup trophy, defeating South Africa by 52 runs. The stadium was packed, the energy was electric, and the moment felt like a turning point for women’s cricket in India.
🏏 First Innings – India Women
Winning the toss, South Africa chose to bowl first, hoping to use early swing. But the Indian openers arrived with clear intent.
⭐ Key Moments
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Shafali Verma played one of the greatest knocks in a World Cup final — aggressive yet composed. Her strokes set the tone and silenced the early South African plans.
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The middle order kept the scoreboard moving with partnerships built around smart rotation and occasional boundaries.
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Late-innings momentum came through quick runs, pushing India to a challenging 298/7 in 50 overs.
Shafali Verma played one of the greatest knocks in a World Cup final — aggressive yet composed. Her strokes set the tone and silenced the early South African plans.
The middle order kept the scoreboard moving with partnerships built around smart rotation and occasional boundaries.
Late-innings momentum came through quick runs, pushing India to a challenging 298/7 in 50 overs.
India’s innings was a mix of fearless stroke play and tactical maturity — proving how much this team has grown.
🏹 Second Innings – South Africa Women
Chasing 299 in a pressure final was always going to be tough, but South Africa showed great fight.
⭐ Key Moments
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Laura Wolvaardt’s century was pure class — elegant cover drives, smart placements, and tremendous temperament.
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But wickets around her kept falling, and India never allowed partnerships to settle.
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As the required rate rose, the pressure mounted; a brilliant spell from Deepti Sharma broke South Africa’s middle order.
Laura Wolvaardt’s century was pure class — elegant cover drives, smart placements, and tremendous temperament.
But wickets around her kept falling, and India never allowed partnerships to settle.
As the required rate rose, the pressure mounted; a brilliant spell from Deepti Sharma broke South Africa’s middle order.
South Africa were eventually bowled out for 246.
🔥 Heroes of the Match
Player Performance Impact Shafali Verma (India) Major top-order innings Set up winning total Deepti Sharma (India) All-round brilliance, key wickets Turned match in India’s favor Laura Wolvaardt (SA) Fighting century Lone warrior for SA
| Player | Performance | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Shafali Verma (India) | Major top-order innings | Set up winning total |
| Deepti Sharma (India) | All-round brilliance, key wickets | Turned match in India’s favor |
| Laura Wolvaardt (SA) | Fighting century | Lone warrior for SA |
🏆 Significance of the victory
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India finally achieved a historic first Women’s ODI World Cup title
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Massive emotional moment for the team and fans — comparisons were made to India's men’s 1983 breakthrough
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Boost for women’s cricket: this victory is expected to inspire a new wave of young girls to take up the sport in India
India finally achieved a historic first Women’s ODI World Cup title
Massive emotional moment for the team and fans — comparisons were made to India's men’s 1983 breakthrough
Boost for women’s cricket: this victory is expected to inspire a new wave of young girls to take up the sport in India
⭐ Introduction
Cricket has always been more than a sport in India. When the India Women’s National Cricket Team walked onto the field to face the South Africa Women’s National Cricket Team in a high-voltage international clash, the atmosphere was electrifying. Both teams have developed a fierce competitive history in women’s cricket, and this match proved to be another thrilling chapter.
The stadium was packed with fans holding tricolour flags, drums beating in rhythm, and chants echoing across the stands. For South Africa, this was a chance to stamp their authority as one of the strongest sides in world cricket; for India, it was an opportunity to showcase their growing dominance and teamwork on the global stage.
🏏 Match Summary
| Match | India Women vs South Africa Women |
|---|---|
| Format | ODI (50 overs) |
| Venue | Mumbai, India |
| Result | India Women won by 52 runs |
🇮🇳 India Women’s Innings
India chose to bat first, demonstrating confidence in their batting strength. The opening pair took the field with determination, and the innings began steadily before transforming into a power-packed batting display.
Key Highlights
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Shafali Verma played a sensational knock, smashing boundaries with power and fearlessness. Her brilliant timing and aggressive stroke play frustrated the South African bowlers.
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Smriti Mandhana provided stability from the other end, rotating strike smartly and punishing loose deliveries.
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The middle order ensured that India maintained momentum, with intelligent running between the wickets and calculated shots.
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India finished strong, scoring vital runs in the final five overs, pushing their total to an imposing target.
India Women's Scorecard
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shafali Verma | 87 | 94 | 10 | 2 |
| Smriti Mandhana | 54 | 71 | 6 | 0 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur (c) | 42 | 46 | 4 | 1 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | 36 | 32 | 4 | 0 |
| Deepti Sharma | 28* | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Richa Ghosh (wk) | 21 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| Extras | 30 | — | — | — |
| Total | 298/7 in 50 overs | — | — | — |
🇿🇦 South Africa Women’s Innings
Chasing 299 was always going to be a challenging task. South Africa began confidently, with their opener showing calm temperament and excellent shot selection.
Key Highlights
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Laura Wolvaardt stood tall for her side, playing a captain’s knock and carrying the innings forward.
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Indian bowlers maintained disciplined line and length, applying pressure through spin as well as pace.
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Regular wickets in middle overs turned the match towards India.
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Despite resistance, South Africa crumbled under rising run-rate pressure.
South Africa Women's Scorecard
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Wolvaardt | 101 | 116 | 9 | 1 |
| Lizelle Lee | 32 | 41 | 4 | 0 |
| Sune Luus | 27 | 33 | 3 | 0 |
| Marizanne Kapp | 22 | 26 | 2 | 0 |
| Chloe Tryon | 18 | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| Extras | 19 | — | — | — |
| Total | 246 all-out in 45.3 overs | — | — | — |
🎯 Bowling Performance – India
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renuka Singh | 9 | 41 | 2 |
| Pooja Vastrakar | 8.3 | 46 | 3 |
| Deepti Sharma | 10 | 38 | 2 |
| Rajeshwari Gayakwad | 10 | 49 | 1 |
| Shafali Verma | 3 | 14 | 1 |
India’s bowlers displayed excellent discipline, maintaining pressure and preventing boundaries during critical phases. Smart field placements and sharp fielding supported the bowlers well.
🏆 Player of the Match
Shafali Verma – 87 runs and 1 wicket
Her aggressive batting laid the foundation for India’s huge total, and her part-time bowling contributed to breaking a crucial partnership.
📌 Key Moments That Defined the Match
✅ India’s aggressive opening partnership
✅ Middle-order acceleration in last 10 overs
✅ Timely breakthroughs by Indian bowlers
✅ South Africa’s collapse under pressure chase
🌟 Conclusion
This match demonstrated the true spirit of women’s cricket — passion, power, and patience. India’s victory was a result of teamwork, discipline, and mental toughness. South Africa fought bravely, but India proved to be the superior side on the day.
The match will be remembered for:
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Shafali Verma’s fearless innings
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Laura Wolvaardt’s brilliant century in a losing cause
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India’s all-round dominance and tactical discipline
As women’s cricket continues to rise, thrilling contests like this inspire millions of young girls to dream big and pick up the bat and ball.
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