In 2017, Harmanpreet Kaur did it, but in 2025 it was the hometown girl Jemimah Rodrigues. Eight years apart, an Indian women’s team batter gave an incredible performance against Australia, leading the team to the World Cup final. It was a night when fears changed into faith and dreams turned into history.
Australia, the leading power of women’s cricket, had put a gigantic target of 339 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, a score that looked nearly impossible to achieve. However, India did not surrender, with Rodrigues moving in front of her home crowd. Each boundary increased the excitement, each run made the struggle tighter, and each over was a step closer to India’s dream.
The Indian team was calm, wiped out the past pains of disappointment, and accomplished what was then the highest ever run chase in ODI World Cup knockout history, both for men and women, to enter the final and become part of the history of cricket.
Jemimah Rodrigues led India to the World Cup final:
Jemimah Rodrigues pulled off the innings of her life, displaying a brilliant innings of an unbeaten 127 off 134 deliveries, as India achieved a record chase to upset the mighty Australians, the defending champions, by five wickets in the Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final held at Navi Mumbai. Leading from the front, Rodrigues not only scored the most runs but did it so well that the others, like captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who chipped in with a good 89 off 88 balls, could easily follow him. India, who at one point were chasing 339 got to the target with nine balls to spare, thus recording the highest successful chase in Women’s ODI history.
Mighty Deepti Sharma and skillful Richa Ghosh, with their 24 and 26 made such big contributions that the Indian side remained in the contest still despite the increasing pressure. The DY Patil Stadium’s electric atmosphere not only supported but also motivated India’s amazing chase even more, thereby marking their entry into the final against South Africa on November 2.
Earlier, Phoebe Litchfield’s blistering 119 off just 93 balls made it possible for Australia to amass 338 runs in their innings of 49.5 overs. Ellyse Perry contributed 77 runs and Ashleigh Gardner scored 63 runs off just 45 balls before getting out. Team India’s bowling was a bit more successful, with Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma having taken two wickets each.
Twitter Reacts to India Defeating Australia:
Team India wrote its own redemption arc in BOLD. 🇮🇳✍#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/ghWZWkOfuj
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) October 30, 2025
What a team performance! Every player showed heart, hunger, and belief.
Chasing 339 in a World Cup semifinal — simply outstanding! 🔥
Congratulations Team India for creating history and entering the Final! 👏#WWC2025 #TeamIndia #WomenInBlue #ProudMoment #IndianCricket pic.twitter.com/AawHzcL1KQ— 𝕸𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖉 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖎 (@MdShami11) October 30, 2025
Fabulous victory! 🇮🇳
Well done @JemiRodrigues and @ImHarmanpreet for leading from the front. Shree Charani and @Deepti_Sharma06, you kept the game alive with the ball.
Keep the tricolour flying high. 💙 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/cUfEPwcQXn
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 30, 2025
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