Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Indian women's cricket team for their triumphant victory in the Women's ODI World Cup, where they defeated South Africa by 52 runs. Describing the achievement as a historic moment, he emphasised that India's daughters have created history by securing the nation's first-ever World Cup title, a win that showcases their growing confidence and strength.
Speaking at a public gathering in Saharsa, PM Modi stated, "Yesterday in Mumbai, India's daughters have created history. India has won the Women's Cricket World Cup for the first time. After 25 years, the world has got a new world champion, and India's daughters have given this pride to the entire nation. This victory isn't just limited to the sports field. It's also a symbol of India's daughters' newfound confidence."
He continued, "These are daughters from small villages and towns; these are daughters of our farmers, labourers, and lower middle-class families. I'm proud of them; the entire nation is proud. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to the parents of these champion daughters."
A flood of congratulations and praise poured in for the team, as the women etched their names in history by clinching the world championship. Indian batting icon Virat Kohli praised the national women's team, noting that they deserve all the applause for their historic feat, which saw "years of hard work come to life finally".
Following heartbreaks in the 2005 and 2017 finals, luck, skill set, balance, and depth finally aligned in favor of Team India; the clinical Women in Blue overcame South Africa, who were first-time finalists, by 52 runs to claim their first-ever World Cup title across both T20I and ODI formats.
All-round performances from Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma proved to be the crowning jewels for the team in the title clash.Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar highlighted how, just like the 1983 World Cup win by the men's team inspired an entire generation to dream big, this Indian team has "inspired countless young girls across the country to pick up a bat and ball".
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla also conveyed his wishes to the team, posting, "Our Women are the Champions! Congratulations to @ImHarmanpreet & entire Indian Women's Cricket Team for winning the World Cup Finals vs SA. Our first & a milestone victory in the history of the game. Great performances by @TheShafaliVerma & @Deepti_Sharma06. @BCCI @BCCIWomen."
South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first. A century partnership between Smriti Mandhana (45 in 58 balls, with eight fours) and Shafali Verma ignited India's innings, setting a strong foundation. This was followed by another 62-run stand between Shafali (87 in 78 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Jemimah Rodrigues (24 in 37 balls, with a four), propelling India to a solid platform of 166/2.
A 52-run partnership between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20 in 29 balls, with two fours) and Deepti Sharma pushed India past the 200-run mark. A late surge by Deepti (58 in 58 balls, with three fours and a six) and Richa Ghosh (34 in 24 balls, with three fours and two sixes) enabled India to post 298/7 in their allotted 50 overs.
In the run-chase, a fifty-run stand got South Africa off the mark, with Tazmin Brits (23 in 35 balls, with two fours and a six) falling as the first wicket. Despite skipper Laura Wolvaardt's commanding presence, the golden arms of Shafali Verma (2/36) and Shree Charani reduced South Africa to 148/5.
Wolvaardt forged a 61-run stand for the sixth wicket with Annerie Dercksen (37 in 35 balls, with a four and two sixes), gradually rebuilding pressure on India. Wolvaardt (101 in 98 balls, with 11 fours and a six) maintained her red-hot form, notching up her century shortly after scoring 169 against England in the semifinal a few days earlier.
However, a pivotal spell from Deepti dismantled both set batters, leaving the Proteas reeling at 221/8. She became the first Indian woman to claim a four-wicket haul in a World Cup final. Deepti (5/39) ultimately turned it into a five-wicket haul, as India created history by winning their maiden World Cup title, bowling out South Africa for 246 runs.
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