India's women cricket team etched their names into history by winning their maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title on November 2, 2025, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final at the DY Patil
Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
This victory marked India's third appearance in a World Cup final and was particularly significant given their past heartbreaks in 2005, 2017, and recent years.
From the outset, India set a commanding total of 298/7, the second-highest score ever in a Women's ODI World Cup final. Opening batter Shafali Verma delivered a stellar performance, scoring a crucial 87 runs off 78 balls. Her innings was marked by both grace and aggression, anchoring the explosive 100-run opening partnership. Her all-round contribution did not stop there; Shafali also made key breakthroughs with the ball in the second innings, taking two wickets for 36 runs, helping to stifle South Africa's chase.
Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur create Contrasting Records
Her fearless and match-winning performance earned her Player of the Match honors, making her at 21 years and 279 days the youngest player ever, across both men's and women's ODI World Cups, to win the Player of the Match award in a semi-final or final.
Harmanpreet Kaur's leadership was pivotal throughout the tournament, and at 36 years and 239 days, she became the oldest captain to lead a team to a Women's World Cup title. Highlighting Shafali's impact, Harmanpreet added, "My heart said, 'Give her one over. ' I went with my gut. I asked her if she was ready, and she said yes immediately. She's fearless, positive, and always ready to step up for the team. "
South Africa fought valiantly, with their captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a magnificent century, but India's bowlers-led by Deepti Sharma's five-wicket haul-exerted pressure at crucial moments, triggering a batting collapse that sealed the win.
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