Sometimes inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of places, and the same seems to have happened with the Indian women’s team just before the 2025 World Cup semi-final against Australia. According to Kranti Gaud, a member of the 11 that beat the defending champions by five wickets for the historic achievement, a four-month-old girl and her mother gave the team just the push they needed on the eve of the match.
On the eve of the match, members of the team and coaching staff visited a temple where they encountered a woman who shared a simple yet powerful dream: she hoped her infant daughter would one day become a cricketer. The sincerity of that wish left a lasting impression on everyone present. Moved by the mother’s faith and love for the sport,
the team collectively resolved to give everything they had on the field.
“The thought of a mother, so devoted to women’s cricket, dreaming of her baby becoming part of this sport moved us all,” Kranti recalled, as per The Times of India.
Jemimah Rodrigues produced a stunning unbeaten 127 as India chased down a record 339 to beat the Aussies. Phoebe Litchfield (119) and Ellyse Perry (77) powered Australia to 338, while Shree Charani (2/49) and Deepti Sharma (2/73) claimed the most wickets.
In reply, after Shafali Verma’s early dismissal, Jemimah and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89) rebuilt with a 167-run stand, India’s highest ever in a World Cup knockout. Richa Ghosh’s quickfire 26 guided India home with nine balls to spare.
The team visited several temples throughout the journey, including some in Mumbai, before the final against South Africa, which they also clinched by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium.
In the summit clash, after being asked to bat, Shafali Verma (87) and Smriti Mandhana (45) gave India a solid start, while Deepti Sharma (58) and Richa Ghosh (34) powered them to 298. South Africa’s chase was anchored by Laura Wolvaardt’s century, but wickets fell at regular intervals. Deepti’s five-wicket haul and Shafali’s key strikes sealed the win as South Africa were dismissed for 246.
