India have created history! In front of a roaring 45,000-strong crowd at the DY Patil Stadium, India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to lift their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup, with Shafali Verma earning Player of the Match honors for her match-defining 87 runs and 2/36.
Put into bat after a rain delay, India posted 298/7, powered by Shafali Verma’s brilliant innings. She shared a 104-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana (45), giving India a strong platform. Deepti Sharma (58 off 58) anchored the middle overs, while Richa Ghosh (34) ensured India reached a challenging total.
Chasing 299, South Africa lost their first wicket at 51, when Tazmin Brits was brilliantly run out by Amanjot Kaur. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt played a valiant 101 off 98 balls, her second consecutive World Cup century, before Deepali Sharma dismissed her.
India’s bowlers then tightened their grip. Deepti Sharma ripped through the South African middle order, taking 5 wickets for 39 runs, including Wolvaardt — caught by Amanjot Kaur on the second attempt. Shafali Verma also contributed with two early wickets, while N Shree Charani added one. The final wicket fell when Nadine De Klerk was caught by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, leaving South Africa all out for 246 in 45.3 overs.
The victory sparked wild celebrations as India finally achieved World Cup glory after heartbreaks in 2005 and 2017. While Shafali Verma’s match-defining innings earned her Player of the Match, Deepti Sharma’s phenomenal all-round performance throughout the tournament earned her the Player of the Series award, finishing with 22 wickets and more than 215 runs— a remarkable double feat.
Final Score:
🇮🇳 India 298/7 (50 overs)
🇿🇦 South Africa 246 all out (45.3 overs)
India won by 52 runs
Player of the Match: Shafali Verma (87 runs & 2/36)
Player of the Series: Deepti Sharma (215 runs & 22 wickets)
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