Hummingbird News Desk
NAVI MUMBAI, 2 NOV — For Harmanpreet Kaur and her resolute band of dreamers, it was not just a cricket match — it was a culmination of years of heartbreak, grit, and unflinching belief. On a luminous Sunday evening, beneath the roaring floodlights of D.Y. Patil Stadium, Indian women’s cricket finally ascended its Everest — lifting its maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title after outclassing South Africa by 52 runs.
It was a night that began with anticipation and ended in history. As the tricolour fluttered in unison with the chants of over 50,000 voices, Harmanpreet’s side turned a long-cherished dream into reality. “For big occasions, you don’t plan celebrations — you live them,” she had smiled on the eve of the final. Twenty-four hours later, that smile was gilded with glory.
Early Fire and Measured Composure
Put in to bat after a rain-delayed toss, India’s openers — the dependable Smriti Mandhana and the reborn Shafali Verma — stitched a fluent 104-run partnership that gave the innings early direction. It was a familiar pairing, but this time, there was something different about Shafali — a sense of restraint, a maturity forged in her exile from the ODI squad. Playing along the ground, timing rather than bludgeoning, she crafted a half-century that gleamed with both flair and discipline.
Smriti’s dismissal did little to dent the tempo, as Shafali looked set for a memorable hundred before succumbing to Ayabonga Khaka’s teasing length — old habits dying in mid-off’s waiting hands. From there, it was up to Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh to rekindle the innings, and they did so with measured assurance. Deepti’s versatility shone through once again, her unbeaten fifty steering India close to the 300-mark — a total that would, in hindsight, prove more than formidable.
South Africa’s Chase Falters Under Pressure
Chasing 299 on a slow surface was always going to test South Africa’s mettle, and Laura Wolvaardt knew she had to anchor the pursuit. Calm and composed, she withstood India’s early bite as Tazmin Brits fell cheaply within the PowerPlay. Then came a masterstroke from Harmanpreet — a bowling change that would tilt the night decisively India’s way.
Shafali Verma, summoned to bowl, struck gold with her second delivery, sending Sune Luus back. The stadium erupted as Harmanpreet leapt into her young teammate’s arms — the moment symbolising a generational bridge in Indian women’s cricket. Shafali wasn’t done yet. She went on to dismiss her Delhi Capitals teammate Marizanne Kapp, who, poignantly, might have played her final ODI World Cup.
Even as Wolvaardt stood tall — crafting a sublime second consecutive century under immense pressure — wickets kept tumbling at the other end. The resistance came from Annerie Dercksen, whose audacious six-hitting briefly threatened to rattle Indian nerves. But the calm returned swiftly when Deepti Sharma, already the architect of India’s batting recovery, decided to script the finale in her own hand.
Deepti’s Spell of Destiny
With the ball turning just enough, Deepti bowled with guile and control that belied the occasion. Her spell was a masterclass in discipline — a five-wicket haul that dismantled the South African lower order. The defining moment came when she removed Wolvaardt, the heartbeat of the chase, and from there, the writing was etched across the Navi Mumbai skyline.
At 246 all out, with 52 runs still adrift, the Indian fielders converged, arms aloft, tears mingling with laughter. The night air carried a thousand dreams fulfilled — not just of victory, but of recognition, of vindication.
A Triumph Beyond the Scoreboard
As fireworks bathed the stadium in saffron, white, and green, Harmanpreet raised the silverware high — not just for her team, but for every generation of Indian women cricketers who paved the road with silent perseverance.
From the days of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami to this young brigade led by Harmanpreet, India’s journey has been one of evolution and endurance. On this night of triumph, the torch was not just passed — it was set ablaze.
India, at long last, is the world champion. And for once, the chants of “Jeetega India!” weren’t just a promise — they were the sound of destiny fulfilled.
Score Summary
India — 298 for 7 in 50 overs (Shafali Verma 87, Deepti Sharma 58*, Richa Ghosh 42; Ayabonga Khaka 2/55, Marizanne Kapp 1/46)
South Africa — 246 all out in 45 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 112, Annerie Dercksen 45; Deepti Sharma 5/38, Shafali Verma 3/41)
India won by 52 runs
Player of the Match: Deepti Sharma (India) — for her all-round brilliance, scoring a vital half-century and claiming a match-winning fifer.
