India Rejoice In First Women’s World Cup Triumph As South Africa Chase Falls Short

At last, 50 years connected from their debut connected nan world stage, India’s dream came true: a maiden World Cup win, successful beforehand of a deafening afloat location successful Navi Mumbai, arsenic they defeated South Africa by 52 runs.

Laura Wolvaardt struck a magnificent century, going back-to-back aft her winning effort successful nan semi-final, but while she vanished nan tourney pinch a run-tally of 571 – nan astir by immoderate female successful a World Cup – nan eventual prize belonged to India.

There were 2 history-making heroes for India. The first was nan improbable fig of Shafali Verma, playing successful this lucifer only owed to nan ankle wounded sustained by Pratika Rawal successful nan group stages, but who chimed successful present pinch 87 from 78 balls and 2 wickets.

Then, conscionable arsenic this last threatened to go a nail-biter, Deepti Sharma – who herself had contributed 58 runs pinch nan bat – bowled nan cleanable yorker to vessel Annerie Dercksen, and followed it up pinch nan cardinal scalp of Wolvaardt arsenic Amanjot Kaur ran information from heavy midwicket to return a diving juggle-catch. For Amanjot it was third-time fortunate pinch nan catch: for India, third-time fortunate successful a World Cup final.

For South Africa, though, nan nightmare: aft nan despair of 2023 and 2024, different World Cup slipping done their fingers – literally. Shafali and Deepti some contributed half-centuries, while Richa Ghosh struck 34 disconnected 24 balls arsenic India reached 298 for 7 – and yet each had offered up chances.

Deepti reprieved herself via usage of DRS connected 19, overturning an incorrect on-field leg-before determination which replays showed was pitching extracurricular leg. But nan truth that she survived until a last-ditch tally retired disconnected nan last shot of nan innings was mostly owed to being dropped connected 35 and 38.

Deepti Sharma of India celebrates pinch squad mates aft taking nan wicket of Chloe Tryon. Photograph: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images

Both of those were reliable chances; much egregious were nan 2 catches spilled astatine heavy midwicket by Anneke Bosch. Perhaps nan astir straightforward – and surely nan astir costly – was nan first of those, arsenic Bosch grassed Shafali’s slog-sweep erstwhile nan India opener was connected conscionable 56.

For nan 21-year-old Shafali, this was nan culmination of a surreal week: Tuesday, approved arsenic an wounded replacement for Pratika Rawal; Thursday, dismissed aft 5 balls successful nan semi-final; Sunday, hitting a career-best 87 from 78 balls successful a World Cup final. After struggling pinch cramp successful her calves, she fell 13 runs short of a century, incapable to loft Ayabonga Khaka precocious capable complete mid-off – but it proved anyhow to beryllium nan winning hand.

And past location was her bowling, which took everyone by astonishment – not slightest nan South Africans. Before Sunday, Shafali had bowled conscionable 14 overs successful 30 ODIs. But successful Navi Mumbai, successful a World Cup final, her 15th and 16th proved to beryllium profoundly significant. First, Sune Luus pinged backmost a limp return catch. Then Marizanne Kapp poked astatine 1 down nan leg-side and was caught behind. From 114 for 2 to 123 for 4 and South Africa were abruptly down nan eight-ball.

They had already beaten nan likelihood erstwhile successful a tally pursuit successful this tournament, against this aforesaid opposition, aft a thundering effort from Nadine de Klerk astatine nan death. Here, Dercksen smashed Radha Yadav for nan biggest six of nan tournament, 84 metres, while de Klerk threatened to punish India for their mediocre usage of DRS, fixed not retired leg-before to Deepti – a determination India were incapable to reappraisal aft burning done some their reviews earlier successful nan innings.

But it was Deepti who had nan past word, adding a 5th wicket to her tally: de Klerk sent a drawback flying up to cover, Harmanpreet Kaur plucked it retired of nan air, and nan brace converged pinch joyousness to statesman a ceremony which will nary uncertainty past agelong into nan night.