India’s women’s cricket team has made an incredible comeback, securing their place in the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup final. They will face South Africa on November 2 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. Their journey to the final has been a mix of highs and lows—starting strongly, going through a rough patch with three consecutive losses, and finishing with a stunning semifinal victory over Australia. The win against Australia highlighted the team’s resilience and unwavering belief in their abilities.
Jemimah Rodrigues played a match-winning knock in the semifinal, producing a career-defining performance to guide India to a remarkable victory over Australia. Her unbeaten 127, along with Harmanpreet Kaur’s 89, helped India chase down a challenging target of 339, finishing with 341/5. This thrilling chase marked the highest successful run chase in the history of Women’s World Cup knockouts.
India’s journey to the Women’s World Cup final has been a testament to their resilience and adaptability. After facing a challenging mid-tournament slump with three straight defeats, the team regrouped and bounced back in style, delivering must-win performances against New Zealand and Australia to keep their World Cup dream alive.
Team India’s road to final
Match 1: India vs Sri Lanka – India won by 59 runs (DLS method)
India started strongly, posting 269/8 thanks to Deepti Sharma (67) and Amanjot Kaur (58). Their 97-run partnership stabilized the innings after an early collapse. Sri Lanka’s chase was anchored by Chamari Athapaththu’s 65, but Deepti Sharma’s superb all-round performance (3/54) restricted them to 211 all out in 45.4 overs,securing a 59-run victory under the DLS method.
Match 2: India vs Pakistan – India clinches 88-run win
India delivered an all-round performance in their clash with Pakistan. Posting 247 with Harleen Deol’s steady 46 leading the charge, India set a competitive target. In Pakistan’s chase, Kranti Gaud (3/20) and Deepti Sharma (3/45) dominated, leaving Pakistan struggling at 98/6. A spirited fightback by Aliya Riaz wasn’t enough as Pakistan were dismissed for 159, giving India an 88-run win and two wins from two matches.
Match 3: India vs South Africa – Lost by 3 wickets in a close contest
India suffered their first loss of the tournament in a nail-biting thriller. India set a challenging target of 282, with Richa Ghosh’s 94 and Smriti Mandhana’s 45 leading the charge. However, South Africa’s fightback, led by Marizanne Kapp (78) and Nadine de Klerk (42), saw them chase down the target with seven balls remaining. India’s inability to close out the game, especially in the death overs, cost them dearly.
Match 4: India vs Australia – Australia win by 3 wickets in a high-scoring contest
India posted 330, with Smriti Mandhana’s elegant 80 and Pratika Rawal’s solid 75. But Australia, led by a brilliant 142 from Alyssa Healy, successfully chased down the target, with just three wickets remaining and four balls to spare. India’s spinners couldn’t control the game in the crucial stages, as Australia completed a spectacular chase to secure the win.
Match 5: India vs England – 4-run defeat in a dramatic chase
In a match that could have gone either way, India fell short by just 4 runs against England. After posting 288/8, England were challenged by India, with Mandhana (88) and Harmanpreet (70) leading the charge. However, the middle-order collapse turned the match on its head. Despite Deepti Sharma’s determined knock, India needed 22 from the final 12 balls and ultimately fell short.
India vs New Zealand – Match 6: India wins by 53 runs (DLS Method)
India posted a dominant total when they needed it most, with Smriti Mandhana (102) and Pratika Rawal (104) sharing an explosive 198-run stand—the highest opening partnership for India in World Cup history. Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 76 pushed the total to a massive 340/3. Rain interrupted New Zealand’s pursuit at 212/6, and with the DLS method in effect, India secured a 53-run victory, guaranteeing a spot in the semifinals.
India vs Bangladesh – Match 7: No Result (Rain Interruption)
India were in full control of the rain-impacted game before bad weather halted play. Radha Yadav’s 3/30 proved pivotal as she restricted Bangladesh to 119/9 in their allotted 27 overs. The Indian openers, Smriti Mandhana (29) and Shafali Verma (24), got the chase off to a flyer, posting 57/0 in 8.4 overs. The rain ultimately forced an early end, and the points were shared, sealing India’s qualification for the knockout rounds.
India are now just one win away from making history. A victory over South Africa in the final would give them their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup title, ending a tournament full of ups and downs with a perfect finish.