Jemimah Rodrigues leads India to record World Cup Chase, stuns Australia in Mumbai
Mumbai – India stormed into the Women’s World Cup final with a breathtaking five-wicket win over Australia at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday. Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with a sensational unbeaten 127, guiding India to a record 339-run pursuit — the highest successful chase in women’s ODI history.
Australia, the seven-time champions, batted first under cloudy skies and posted 338. Young opener Phoebe Litchfield set the tone with a sparkling 119 off 93 balls, becoming the youngest player to hit a World Cup knockout century. Ellyse Perry supported with 77, adding 155 for the second wicket. Later, Ashleigh Gardner’s quick 63 lifted Australia past 330 before spinners Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma restricted late runs. Both teams wore black armbands to honour 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who tragically died during practice in Melbourne.
India’s chase began nervously. Shafali Verma fell early, and Smriti Mandhana edged behind for 24 after a close review. At 59 for 2, pressure mounted on the hosts. Then Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur changed the game. They steadied the innings, rotated strike, and counterattacked with bold drives and sweeps. Their 167-run partnership electrified a packed crowd roaring with every boundary.
Rodrigues survived a major scare when Alyssa Healy dropped her on 82. Seizing the lifeline, she shifted gears, finding gaps and punishing loose deliveries. Kaur, playing fluently, reached 89 before Annabel Sutherland removed her with India still needing 113 runs. The captain walked off to a standing ovation, exhausted but smiling.
Despite losing Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh in quick succession, Rodrigues held firm. She found steady support from Amanjot Kaur, who smashed the winning boundary. The Indian dugout erupted — hugs, tears, and loud chants echoed through the stadium.
The 679-run thriller set multiple records. It marked the first-ever 300-plus chase in any ODI World Cup knockout — men’s or women’s. The total run aggregate surpassed the previous high of 678 between England and South Africa in the 2017 edition.
Australia’s defeat ended their unbeaten streak of 15 World Cup matches since 2017 — the same year India had knocked them out in the semi-final. This time, history repeated itself, but with even greater dominance.
Rodrigues, calm amid chaos, finished with her bat raised and arms wide open. “This team never gives up,” she said after receiving the Player of the Match award.
As India prepares to face South Africa in Sunday’s final at the same venue, confidence is sky-high. With momentum, belief, and the home crowd behind them, India stands on the brink of a historic first-ever Women’s World Cup title.
