Former India skipper Rohit Sharma made a surprise appearance at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Sunday to cheer for the Indian women's team during their ICC Women's World Cup 2025 final against South Africa.
The 38-year-old opener, dressed in casuals, was spotted in the corporate box, watching the high-voltage clash alongside dignitaries and fans. The moment Rohit appeared on the big screen, the entire stadium erupted into loud cheers and chants of "Rohit! Rohit!", as the local favourite turned supporter for the day.
Having recently stepped down from his white-ball captaincy duties, Rohit's presence added an emotional touch to what was already a historic evening for Indian cricket.
On the field, Harmanpreet Kaur's side got off to
a dream start after being asked to bat first. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana stitched together a sparkling 104-run stand, setting the tone early in the innings.
Shafali, who returned to the ODI side after an injury break, continued her sensational form with a fiery 87 off 78 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes. The 21-year-old not only recorded her highest ODI score but also became the youngest player to register a fifty in a Women's World Cup final. Mandhana played the perfect supporting role with a fluent 45, holding one end steady until her dismissal in the 25th over.
When Rohit was first shown on the big screen, India were cruising at 161 for 1, with Jemimah Rodrigues joining Shafali to keep the momentum flowing. The innings eventually ended as India finished on 298/7. Deepti Sharma (58) and Richa Ghosh (34) added valuable runs to take the score close to the 300-run mark.
Still, the presence of one of India's most iconic captains in the stands made the night even more memorable for both players and fans alike.
