India beat Australia in historic chase to reach Women’s Cricket World Cup final

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Oct 31, 2025: History has been made! The Indian women’s cricket team proved the naysayers wrong in the most heroic way possible, storming into the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup and standing just one win away from lifting its maiden world title. A diminutive Jemimah Rodrigues stood tall on the biggest stage with the innings of her life, as her unbeaten 127 off 134 balls sent India into their third Women’s ODI World Cup final, halting the juggernaut of seven-time champions Australia with a record chase on Thursday. Jemimah’s arduous knock - her third century and first in a World Cup-was built around a robust 167-run stand for the third wicket with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89 from 88 balls, 10x4s, 2x6s), which helped India end reigning champions Australia’s 15-match unbeaten run in the competition across two editions.

Chasing a mammoth 339, Jemimah anchored the spirited response with an incredible 127 not out, including 14 fours, as India scored 341/5 in 48.3 overs to win with five wickets and nine balls to spare. It was the highest-ever chase in Women’s ODIs.

Having lost knockout games from winning positions several times in the past, India finally found a way to get over the line on this occasion. No wonder tears of sheer joy rolled down the faces of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Rodrigues, who had all those heartbreaks at the back of their minds during the run chase.

A first-time winner of the tournament is assured, with India meeting South Africa here on Sunday.

In the middle as early as the second over, Jemimah built her innings with utmost resolve-keeping it simple, finding boundaries regularly, and avoiding risks.

Towards the end, an exhausted Jemimah kept slumping to her haunches to preserve whatever little energy she had left, thriving on the cheers of a packed house at DY Patil Stadium to take the hosts one step closer to that elusive title.

Skipper Harmanpreet would have never imagined walking out to bat in front of a shell-shocked home crowd, reeling in silence after the team’s best batter, Smriti Mandhana, fell in the 10th over.

At 59 for two inside the powerplay, with Mandhana back in the hut, it was the kind of moment where this team had botched up from winning positions not too long ago.

But this time, they didn’t. Harmanpreet (89 off 88) and Jemimah batted with purpose, and at no stage of their third-wicket association did they look under pressure from the asking rate.

A lightning-quick outfield aided their cause, and once well-settled, Harmanpreet launched one over cover off McGrath and another off Gardner. The dew also arrived late in the evening, making batting easier.

A pivotal moment arrived in the 33rd over when Jemimah was gifted a lifeline by Australian captain Alyssa Healy, who spilled a sitter when the batter got a leading edge off King while attempting a sweep. Later, she was given another reprieve on 106.

Shafali’s first ODI outing after a year’s gap lasted only five balls, in which she managed two boundaries before being pinned by a nip-backer from Kim Garth in front of the stumps.

Australia did well to keep India’s best batter, Smriti Mandhana (24), on a tight leash early on, but the vice-captain responded with a six down the ground and two fours.

However, it was a dismaying end to her innings when Mandhana was caught behind off a delivery sprayed down the leg side from Garth, with a faint spike on the DRS confirming Australia’s conviction.

Earlier, Phoebe Litchfield’s scintillating 119 and half-centuries from the venerable Ellyse Perry (77) and Ashleigh Gardner (63) helped Australia set a 339-run target against an Indian side that was sloppy in the field.

If not for a tidy third spell of 3-0-9-2, in which Shree Charani (2/49) dismissed Beth Mooney (24) and the in-form Annabel Sutherland (3), Australia might have finished with far more than they managed.

Australia were bowled out for 338 with one ball left in their innings.

Litchfield’s third ODI ton, which came off a mere 77 balls, set the platform for Australia to launch themselves to a huge total.

The 22-year-old came into this knockout game with only a fifty to her name in the competition but batted as if she were in a purple patch.

Litchfield’s high-quality knock included 17 fours and three sixes. Her lofted hits over the infield in the cover region were as spectacular as the two sixes she hit down the ground, one of which came on the second ball of the 27th over off Deepti Sharma.

Litchfield put on 155 for the second wicket before missing a lap shot off Amanjot, with Perry contributing a valuable 77 off 88 balls (6x4s, 2x6s).