India made history by winning their first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title, triumphing over South Africa by 51 runs in a thrilling final at Navi Mumbai. The match saw India post a formidable total of 298 for 7 in 50 overs, powered by an explosive 87 runs from opener Shafali Verma and a vital 58 from Deepti Sharma. South Africa fought valiantly, with their captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a remarkable century (101 off 98 balls) to keep hopes alive during the chase. However, once Wolvaardt was dismissed by Deepti Sharma’s bowling—who took five wickets for 39 runs—India maintained control to secure a historic victory.
The final, played before a packed DY Patil Stadium crowd of 45,000, experienced a two-hour rain delay but retained its intensity, concluding well past midnight. This win ended decades of near misses for Indian women’s cricket, with previous finals in 2005 and 2017 ending in defeat. It also marked South Africa’s first appearance in a Women’s World Cup final, a milestone moment for the Proteas. The 2025 final was notable for being the first without Australia or England, underscoring the changing landscape of women’s international cricket.
India’s triumph in this high-scoring thriller was celebrated nationwide, inspiring a new generation of players and marking a proud chapter in the country’s sporting history.
