Mumbai: Sunday night will forever be etched in golden letters in the history of Indian women’s cricket as Team India defeated South Africa to win their first-ever Women’s World Cup title. Playing in front of a packed home crowd in a thrilling final, India ended decades of waiting to achieve this historic milestone.
Under captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership, the Indian team delivered an outstanding performance against South Africa. Shafali Verma played a destructive innings with the bat to give the team a solid start, while Deepti Sharma’s exceptional bowling turned the match decisively in India’s favour.
Victory After Tournament Ups and Downs
This triumph is even more special because the team refused to give up despite losing three consecutive matches in the group stage. When a comeback seemed difficult, the players maintained their self-belief and delivered their best performance when it mattered most.
Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Tournament, while Shafali Verma received the Player of the Match award for the final. Shafali contributed significantly with both bat and ball, with her crucial interventions changing the course of the match.
Emotional Moments and Team Reactions
After the victory, Smriti Mandhana said,
I don’t know how to react to that. Still sinking in. Home World Cup, and to just read ‘champions India’ – very unreal moment.”
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur thanked the Indian crowd, saying,
I am so grateful for this crowd, they have been really amazing. You were with us through all our ups and downs. This is just the start – we want to make this a habit.”
South Africa’s Commendable Performance
Although South Africa lost, their performance was praiseworthy. Despite being bowled out for 69 and 97 in the tournament, Laura Wolvaardt’s captaincy guided the team to the final. Wolvaardt played brilliantly in the final and brought her team close to victory, but the Indian bowlers held their nerve in the crucial moments.
This victory marks the beginning of a new era for Indian women’s cricket, with expectations high for more achievements in the coming years.
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