The Indian women’s cricket team has won the Women’s World Cup 2025 title by defeating South Africa. The wait is finally over! In a moment that will forever be etched in the annals of sporting history. The Indian Women Cricket team has been crowned the World Champions, securing their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup title. Defeating a formidable South Africa side in a thrilling final, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s ‘Women in Blue’ delivered a performance of grit, skill, and unyielding belief. This monumental victory not only ends a long wait for an elusive world title but also signals a new, powerful era for Indian Women Cricket on the global stage.
The Epic Final: India Dominates South Africa
The final match was a showcase of the talent and depth that the Indian Women Cricket squad possesses. Batting first, India posted a commanding total of 298/7. This was built on the back of a spectacular innings from opener Shafali Verma, who blazed her way to a career-best 87. Crucial contributions also came from the composed Deepti Sharma, who struck a vital half-century (58). Chasing a challenging target, South Africa fought hard, with their captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a magnificent century. But the Indian bowlers held their nerve. The star with the ball was Deepti Sharma, who completed a brilliant all-round performance with a match-winning five-wicket haul (5/39). Thus leading the team to a triumphant 52-run victory.
Heroes of the Campaign: The All-Round Brilliance
The journey of the Indian Women Cricket team to the World Cup trophy was marked by sensational individual performances. Although every player, management, field staff and moreover the cheering crowd play the important role.
Deepti Sharma’s All-Round Excellence:
Deepti Sharma named the Player of the Tournament. She was the team’s lynchpin, delivering consistent batting contributions and finishing as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. Her five-for in the final was a masterpiece. She anchored the middle and late innings, building a 52-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Moreover, a key 47-run stand with Richa Ghosh, which helped propel India’s total to a commanding 298/7.
Moreover, she became the first Indian woman to claim a five-wicket haul in a World Cup final. She delivered a game-changing spell, removing both set batters, including the crucial wicket of captain Laura Wolvaardt when she was batting on 101, which decisively shifted the momentum in India’s favor.
Shafali Verma’s Firepower:
The young dynamo Shafali Verma provided blistering starts, culminating in her Player of the Match performance in the final. Shafali Verma’s electrifying performance in the World Cup final against South Africa not only secured her the well-deserved Player of the Match title but also played a pivotal role in setting a massive target and dismantling a formidable batting partnership!
In addition to her impressive batting, Shafali Verma played a key role in the match by taking important wickets with her off-spin bowling during the South African chase. She achieved a significant breakthrough by claiming two wickets in only seven balls, disrupting South Africa’s middle order during a crucial moment of their innings. She removed Sune Luus with a sharp caught-and-bowled and dismissed Marizanne Kapp.
This all-round display of scoring the highest individual runs for India and picking up two pivotal wickets in the chase cemented her status as the Player of the Match and was instrumental in securing the maiden title for the Indian Women Cricket team.
Smiriti Mandhana an absolute pillar of Indian Women Cricket Team
Smriti Mandhana was an absolute pillar for the Indian Women Cricket team’s World Cup victory, not just with her runs but by breaking a significant national batting record. Vice-Captain Smriti Mandhana played a key role in the top order, providing the strong starts that were crucial to India’s success throughout the tournament.
Mandhana, alongside her opening partner Shafali Verma, registered a spectacular 198-run opening partnership against New Zealand. This was the highest opening stand for Indian Women Cricket in World Cup history, setting the platform for India’s highest World Cup total of 340/3.
In the World Cup final against South Africa, Mandhana scored a fluent 45 and was part of a crucial 104-run opening partnership with Shafali Verma. This partnership provided the solid foundation that the middle order built upon to reach the formidable total of 298.
Smriti Mandhana’s consistent scoring and aggressive intent ensured that the Indian Women Cricket team’s batting unit always had momentum, making her one of the undeniable heroes of the World Cup-winning campaign.
Harmanpreet Kaur the captain of Indian Women Cricket Team:
The captain’s mature and fearless leadership, combined with her crucial innings throughout the tournament, was instrumental in transforming the team’s campaign and guiding them to glory.
The journey to the final was not seamless for the Women in Blue, which is where Harmanpreet’s leadership shone brightest.
Rallying the Troops After Consecutive Losses: India faced a tough patch with three consecutive losses in the group stage, including a devastating defeat to England where they failed to chase a big total. External criticism mounted, but Harmanpreet ensured the team’s focus remained internal and positive.
Encouraging a Fearless Approach: Having experienced the heartbreak of previous final defeats (2005 and 2017), Harmanpreet was determined to instil a fearless, aggressive brand of cricket. The team’s strategy to consistently aim for and achieve 300+ totals in the knockout stages was a direct reflection of her attacking mindset.
Leading with Performance: While her overall tournament runs were crucial, her ability to step up in high-pressure games, such as the semi-final against the mighty Australia, provided the team with the vital confidence boost needed to defeat a seven-time champion.
Finally Masterstrokes in Final
In the World Cup final against South Africa, Harmanpreet Kaur made some tactically astute decisions on the field that ultimately led to the team’s victory.
The Go-with-the-Gut Bowling Change: This was the masterstroke of the final. With South African captain Laura Wolvaardt well set on a century and the game starting to slip away, Harmanpreet went against conventional wisdom. She brought on the part-time off-spinner, Shafali Verma, who was primarily a batter and had rarely bowled in the tournament.
Calmness Under Pressure: Despite the high stakes, she maintained composure, rotating her bowlers effectively to contain runs and apply pressure. Her fields were aggressive, always hunting for wickets, perfectly reflecting the team’s ‘never-say-die’ attitude.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership has elevated the Indian Women’s Cricket team from consistent contenders to World Champions, solidifying her legacy as a groundbreaking captain who shattered a 42-year barrier in Indian cricket.
A Silent Hero
This victory also has a ‘silent hero’ who has been tirelessly supporting the Indian women’s team from behind the scenes and enabling them to win this major tournament. It’s none other than the team’s head coach, Amol Mazumdar.
Majumdar is one of those select cricketers of India who, despite being extremely talented, has not been able to play for India yet. Despite scoring over 11,000 runs in first-class cricket, he never earned a call-up to the senior Indian team. A diminutive right-handed batsman, Majumdar was renowned for his impeccable timing rather than his power.
He made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 1993–94 season, scoring an unbeaten 260 in the pre-quarterfinal against Haryana. This proved to be the best innings of his career. He subsequently became the next big hope for the Bombay School of Batsmanship. In his early days, he was even touted as the “future Tendulkar.” In 1994, he became the vice-captain of the India Under-19 team and, alongside Rahul Dravid, performed well for India A. Despite consistently scoring runs in domestic cricket, he was denied a place in the senior team.
The Watershed Moment: Impact on Indian Women Cricket
This historic win is more than just a trophy; it’s a watershed moment for Indian Women Cricket. It has instantly elevated the profile of the sport across the nation, inspiring millions of young girls to pick up a bat and ball. The record prize money and the sheer visibility of the triumph will bring unprecedented support, investment, and infrastructure to the women’s game.
This achievement places India among the elite few nations to win the Women’s World Cup, establishing the Women in Blue as a cricketing superpower. The celebrations across the country confirm that this is a victory for every Indian who dreamt of seeing the Indian Women Cricket team as the best in the world.