Jemimah Rodrigues (Photo ICC)
Jemimah Rodrigues struck a sensational century as hosts India reached the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Final with a magical run-chase against Australia.
Rodrigues’ unbeaten 127 and Harmanpreet Kaur’s 89 saw India chase down 339 to knock out the defending champions, a record chase in women’s ODI cricket.
Australia were firm favourites to reach a third final in the last four ODI World Cups after Phoebe Litchfield hit a brilliant hundred – though they will be left to rue a flurry of late wickets that prevented their total from being even more.
The 25-year-old Rodrigues – who was dropped three times – and Kaur steadily knocked off the runs, while Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh made helpful contributions as India reached the target with nine balls and five wickets to spare.
India will play South Africa in the final on Sunday, with both sides bidding to win the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup for the first time.
When these two sides met in the group stage, Australia completed the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history, chasing 331 with six balls to spare.
This time, they batted first and compiled an even bigger score for their opponents to target.
The defending champions made a solid start, with Litchfield finding four boundaries in the first four overs, but lost their first wicket at the beginning of the sixth when Alyssa Healy – who was earlier dropped by Kaur – chopped a Kranti Gaud delivery back onto her stumps.
Ellyse Perry joined Litchfield and the pair produced a sensational 155-run partnership in 22.1 overs that set them up for a huge score.
Litchfield punished anything outside off-stump and attacked the spinners, with a huge six down the ground off Sree Charani an early highlight.
The 22-year-old used her feet effectively and hit three boundaries off Radha Yadav in the 20th over, before a lofted shot over mid-off at the beginning of the 24th brought up her third ODI century off 77 balls.
After reaching three figures, Litchfield pressed the accelerator even harder. In the 27th over, she hit two huge sixes – including a switch-hit – off successive Sharma deliveries. However, in the next over she missed a straight Amanjot Kaur delivery while attempting a scoop towards deep fine leg and was bowled.
By that point, Perry was 45 not out off 56 balls in a supportive innings. She reached her 37th ODI half-century in the 31st over but India started to claw their way back into the game.
Charani had Beth Mooney (24) caught at cover and then dismissed Annabel Sutherland (3) caught and bowled to leave Australia on 228 for four. Perry tried to up the run-rate but fell for 77 in the 40th over when she missed a straight ball from Yadav.
Tahlia McGrath (12) was run out to leave the champions at risk of a late collapse, but Ash Gardner steered them to a commanding total with eight boundaries – including four sixes – in a brisk 45-ball 63.
She was run out with nine balls to go as India again took a flurry of wickets, this time bowling Australia out for 338.
India’s reply began slowly. Shafali Verma made a strong start by smacking Kim Garth over cover for a handsome four in the second over, but was out lbw off the very next ball.
Smriti Mandhana, the tournament’s top run-scorer ahead of the semi-finals, also failed to fire, caught behind after a feint edge to a leg-side delivery for 24.
Rodrigues and Kaur were left to rebuild the innings, with India on 59 for two, and they did brilliantly to turn the tide.
Rodrigues was the more aggressive of the two. She reached 50 with a sweep to the boundary off Alana King, her eighth boundary taking her to the milestone in 57 balls in the 21st over.
Kaur, who scored 70 against England but has had an otherwise quiet World Cup, was more watchful. She reached her 22nd ODI half-century in 65 balls to take India to 189 for two in 30 overs – still 150 from the target.
The home supporters were beginning to sense a famous victory was possible, especially when a Rodrigues top edge off a King delivery flew up in the air and was dropped by wicket-keeper Healy. Off the next ball, Kaur cut the ball to the boundary to bring up the 150 partnership.
Australia started to regain their composure, as King almost trapped Rodrigues lbw and Kaur was nearly caught on the boundary. They eventually broke the partnership when Kaur hit Sutherland high in the air and Gardner took a brilliant catch to leave India on 226 for three in the 36th over.
Sharma made a handy 24 but was run out with nine overs to go, while Rodrigues powered on to her third ODI century, with 10 fours in her 115-ball knock.
She rode her luck while on 106, with McGrath putting down a very makeable catch, and by that stage the momentum was firmly with India. Richa Ghosh made 26 off 16 balls but departed with four overs to go, with India needing 29 runs.
It was tense but Rodrigues kept her cool, hitting three boundaries across the following two overs against the backdrop of a raucous crowd. Amanjot Kaur supported her and hit the winning runs with nine balls remaining to complete a sensational chase.
An emotional Jemimah Rodrigues paid tribute to those who believed in her during the bad times after she steered India to the final.
It was a day of redemption for Rodrigues, who was dropped from the India team ahead of the 2022 World Cup – and then again for the group game against England two weeks ago.
She admits she has suffered from anxiety during the tournament but, under pressure, she delivered the innings of her life as India won by five wickets and with nine balls to spare.
“I want to thank my mum, my dad, my coach and every single person who believed in me through all this time,” she said.
“The last 12 months have been hard and it feels like a dream. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
“Last time, I was dropped from the World Cup and this year I came to try even harder. I have such amazing people around me who believed in me.
“I have cried almost every day in this World Cup with anxiety but God took everything for me. I kept talking to myself and quoting scriptures from the Bible.
“There was a lot inside of me left and I tried to stay calm until it finished. To see the score at the end, I could not contain myself.
“We knew we needed one good partnership. I was trying to push myself at the end and I am so blessed to have teammates around me when I could not lift myself up.
“Navi Mumbai has always been special for me and I could not have asked for anything better. Thank you for everyone who came and supported.”
“I’m very proud, I don’t have words to express myself,” said Kaur – who hit 171 not out to beat Australia in the semi-finals eight years ago.
“I am feeling great, we’ve been working for so many years. It’s an amazing feeling.
“We spoke with each other, we’ve done this. We have this trust that every player can win any match, in any situation. We made some mistakes in this tournament, but we’ve learned from these mistakes. We kept telling ourselves to be there for the team.”
Meanwhile, Australia captain Alyssa Healy was left to rue several missed opportunities with bat and ball.
“It has been a sensational tournament and it is so disappointing to be stood here right now,” she said.
“We created pressure and opportunities but we were not able to capitalise. If felt the same last year not going out how we wanted to play.
“We have played some unbelievable cricket and it is about turning up in the semi-final. There is so much to be proud of and every single player’s contribution. That is probably why it stings a bit more.
“The beauty of this cycle is we will see more talent unfold. Our one-day cricket will shift again and we will learn from what we did wrong tonight.”
Scores in brief
Australia 338 all out in 49.5 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 119, Ellyse Perry 77; Sree Charani 2/49, Deepti Sharma 2/73)
India 341/5 in 48.3 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 127 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 89; Kim Garth 2/46, Annabel Sutherland 2/69)
Result: India won by five wickets
