The Indian women’s cricket team etched their name in history by clinching their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the 2025 final at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
The triumph marked a defining moment for Indian cricket, as the team lifted the coveted trophy for the first time after finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. With this victory, Harmanpreet Kaur became the first woman — and only the third Indian captain after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni — to lead India to a World Cup crown.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on their historic win.
Batting first, India posted a formidable 298 for seven. Openers Shafali Verma (87) and Smriti Mandhana (45) set the tone with a century stand, while Deepti Sharma (58 off 58) and Richa Ghosh (34 off 24) added quick runs to push India close to the 300-run mark. South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka was the pick of the bowlers with figures of three for 58.
South Africa’s chase was anchored by captain Laura Wolvaardt, who struck a fluent 101 off 98 balls, but the rest of the batting order could not provide enough support. From 209 for five, the side lost its last five wickets for just 37 runs and was bowled out for 246 in 45.3 overs. Deepti Sharma starred with the ball, claiming five for 39, while Shafali Verma’s part-time spin produced two crucial breakthroughs to seal the game.
This victory is India’s maiden triumph in the 13th edition of the Women’s Cricket World Cup. Until now, Australia had dominated the tournament with seven titles, followed by England with four. India’s win has been hailed as a turning point for women’s cricket in the country, highlighting the depth and maturity of the current squad.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” said Player of the Match Shafali Verma. “I said before that God has sent me to do something special, and today it happened. My family, especially my brother, have always stood by me, and I wanted to repay their faith. Smriti kept talking to me throughout, Harman di was backing me, and everyone gave me the freedom to play my natural game — that gave me confidence. And to see Sachin sir in the stands was unbelievable. Watching him there gave me goosebumps.”
Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma described the win as “a dream come true.” She said, “Throughout the tournament, our focus was on improving with every match. A huge thank you to the fans who supported us in such big numbers — without them, none of this would’ve been possible. From 2017 to now, this team has evolved a lot. I just hope we keep playing more cricket and keep growing as a unit. Above all, I want to dedicate this trophy to my mom and dad — this one’s for them.”
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt praised India’s performance, saying, “India played a fantastic game, and credit to them. We had our ups and downs but it’s been an amazing tournament with many players stepping up. Shafali was outstanding today — she’s aggressive and fearless, and when she gets going, she can take the game away.”
Harmanpreet Kaur, who led India to the title, said, “I’m so grateful to this incredible crowd — they’ve stood by us through every high and low. Even after losing three games in a row, we never lost belief. Credit to every single player — they stayed positive and trusted the process. When Laura and Sune were batting, they looked solid, but I could see Shafali was ready. The way she stepped up for the team deserves a salute. Today’s pitch was different, and we knew 300 would be enough in a final. We believed if we stayed calm, we could turn it around — and that’s exactly what happened.”
The win has also drawn global recognition, with messages of congratulations pouring in from around the world, including from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who praised the team for scripting a new chapter in Indian cricket.
With this triumph, the Indian women’s team has not only achieved sporting glory but also inspired millions across the nation, signalling their arrival at the pinnacle of world cricket.
Several prominent Indian cricketers publicly congratulated the women’s team on X and other social platforms, including cricketing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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