Shafali, Deepti Power India to Women’s World Cup Glory!

  • November 2, 2025

Indian Women etched their names in history at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy situated in Navi Mumbai, securing their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup trophy following a resounding 52-run triumph over the South African Women in the title-deciding match. Fueled by Shafali Verma’s spectacular 87 and Deepti Sharma’s exceptional performance across all facets of the game, India outclassed the Proteas in every sphere, thereby authoring a celebrated chapter in the chronicles of women’s cricket.

Shafali Verma propels India towards a significant score

Choosing to field first upon winning the coin toss, South Africa encountered formidable resistance from India’s opening batters. Shafali, recognized for her audacious play style, once again shone brightly, scoring a swift 87 from 78 deliveries, featuring seven fours and a pair of sixes. Her collaboration with Smriti Mandhana, who added a smooth 45 from 58 balls, provided India with an ideal start in front of an enthusiastic home audience.

Following the dismissal of both openers, Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) stabilized the innings before Deepti assumed command in the latter stages. The left-handed batter demonstrated poise and elegance, accumulating a crucial 58 from 58 balls, including three boundaries and a solitary six. Richa Ghosh’s rapid 34 off 24 further accelerated India’s scoring rate as the Women in Blue posted a noteworthy 298/7 in the allotted 50 overs.

For South Africa, Ayabonga Khaka distinguished herself, securing 3 wickets for 58 runs, while Nonkululeko Mlaba, Nadine de Klerk, and Chloe Tryon each contributed with a single wicket. Despite disciplined bowling spells from the Proteas, India’s extensive batting lineup ensured a robust conclusion.

Laura Wolvaardt’s century proves insufficient as Deepti Sharma excels with her bowling

Pursuing a target of 299 under the stadium lights, South Africa commenced steadily, with Laura Wolvaardt once more spearheading the effort. The captain produced a remarkable 101 off 98 deliveries, marked by 11 fours and a six, thus maintaining South Africa’s chances. She received brief assistance from Tazmin Brits (23) and Sune Luus (25), but India’s bowlers consistently picked up wickets, exerting pressure.

The pivotal moment arrived unexpectedly from Shafali Verma. The youthful all-rounder, riding high from her batting exploits, altered the course of the match by dismissing Luus and Marizanne Kapp in quick succession with her bowling. Her dual strikes destabilized the Proteas, decisively swinging the momentum in India’s favor.

The subsequent phase belonged entirely to Deepti. The seasoned off-spinner bowled with finesse and accuracy, dismantling the middle and lower order to achieve match-defining statistics of 5 wickets for 39 runs in 9.3 overs. Her spell ensured that South Africa’s chase concluded at 246 all out in 45.3 overs, in spite of late resilience from Annerie Dercksen (35) and Nadine de Klerk (18).

Also WATCH: DY Patil Stadium roars as Sunidhi Chauhan delivers an energetic performance during the Women’s World Cup 2025 final

Here’s the response from the supporters:

Also WATCH: Harmanpreet Kaur’s strategic decision yields positive results as Shafali Verma, the ‘golden arm,’ takes two crucial wickets in the Women’s World Cup 2025 final – IND vs SA

This article was initially featured on WomenCricket.com, which is affiliated with Cricket Times.

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