Source: BBC Cricket
India beat South Africa for historic World Cup winTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedMedia caption,ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup highlights: India v South AfricaByFfion WynneBBC Sport Journalist in Navi MumbaiPublished2 November 2025649 CommentsICC Women’s World Cup, Navi MumbaiIndia 298-7 (50 overs):Shafali 87 (78); Khaka 3-58South Africa 246 (45.3 overs):Wolvaardt 101 (98); Deepti 5-39India won by 52 runsScorecardJubilant India held their nerve under the weight of huge expectation to beat South Africa by 52 runs and clinch a historic first Women’s World Cup win.The showpiece event in front of a raucous, sold-out 45,000 crowd was delayed by two hours because of rain but no overs were lost and a match for the ages played out in Navi Mumbai.The hosts batted first and posted a competitive 298-7 – opener Shafali Verma led the charge with a dynamic 87 from 78 balls, backed up by Deepti Sharma’s 58, which set the Proteas their record one-day international run-chase.Captain Laura Wolvaardt scored her second successive century, a flawless 101 from 98 balls, which kept South Africa in contention at 211-6 and needing 88 from the final 10 overs.But her dismissal, via a juggling catch from Amanjot Kaur at deep mid-wicket off Deepti in the 42nd over, sparked India’s charge to victory and even with the game finishing after midnight local time, the packed crowd stayed and roared until the very last ball.The emotions were contrasting for South Africa, who finished 246 all out which confirmed their third successive final defeat, having lost the previous two T20 finals.Verma, who was only called up for the semi-finals after an injury to Pratika Rawal, added figures of 2-36 to her knock to also become an unlikely hero with the ball but it was Deepti, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, who ripped through the Proteas batters to finish with 5-39 as bedlam unfolded.It completes an incredible turnaround for India, who lost three consecutive group-stage games before their march to glory.The scenes at the DY Patil Stadium suggested this triumph will ignite a new era in the women’s game.World Cup win will trigger India juggernaut – HartleyPublished18 hours agoWho made your World Cup team of the tournament?Published19 hours agoWomen’s World Cup: GLORY for IndiaIndia win sparks watershed momentTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedMedia caption,’Could that be the moment that changes this final?’ – Luus is caught and bowled by VermaThis was a final of two teams familiar with near-misses – India in 2017 and at the T20 edition in 2020, and South Africa with their defeats by Australia and New Zealand in the shorter format in 2023 and 2024.For India in particular, though, with their cricket-loving nation and the domination of their men’s side, it always felt like a matter of when and not if they would conquer the world.This was billed as the tournament that could …
Published: 2025-11-02T19:48:33
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