In a stunning display of resilience and grit, India pulled off a miraculous victory against tournament-favorites Australia in the WC 2025. The match, which will undoubtedly be remembered as a classic, saw India snatch victory by 5 wixkets from the jaws of defeat, sending a powerful message to the rest of the competition.
Here are the five key takeaways from India’s unforgettable win —
1. Batting is India’s Strength
The context for this entire match was India achieving the highest successful run-chase in Women’s ODI history.
- Target: Australia set a massive 338 runs.
- India’s Reply: India chased it down, scoring 341/5 with 9 balls to spare.
- Contribution: This chase wasn’t just a one-woman show. It required a record-breaking partnership (Rodrigues and Kaur) holding their nerve, proving the team’s batting depth is its core strength.
2. Yes! Jemimah Rodrigues is a Rockstar
Jemimah was the undisputed hero and Player of the Match. She anchored the entire run-chase from a difficult position.
- Her Score: 127 not out (off 134 balls).
- When She Contributed: She came in when India was in a shaky position. After Smriti Mandhana fell, India was 59/2.
- How She Contributed: Rodrigues stabilized the innings and then built the single most important partnership of the World Cup: a 167-run stand with her captain, Harmanpreet Kaur. She stayed until the very end to hit the winning runs, completing her first-ever World Cup century in the most high-pressure game imaginable.
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3. Harmanpreet Kaur is a Big Player
The captain proved why she is a big-match player, stepping up to support Rodrigues and absorb the immense pressure of a record chase.
- Her Score: 89 runs (off 88 balls).
- When She Contributed: She joined Rodrigues when the chase was in serious trouble and the required run rate was climbing.
- How She Contributed: Instead of crumbling, she played a powerful, aggressive innings, matching Rodrigues shot for shot. This 167-run partnership took India from a position of doubt (59/2) to a position of dominance, breaking the back of the Australian bowling attack and setting the stage for the final victory.
4. Smriti Mandhana Continues to Fail in Crunch Matches
This was the reason the win had to be “miraculous” India’s most in-form opener fell early in the biggest match of the tournament.
- Her Score: 24 runs.
- When She Failed: She was dismissed during the initial powerplay, just as India was trying to build a foundation for the massive chase. Her early dismissal, along with Shafali Verma’s, put the team on the back foot at 59/2.
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5. Renuka Singh Seems to Have Lost Her Wicket-Taking Mojo
This point was about her bowling performance during Australia’s innings, where they scored 338.
- Her Bowling Figures: 8 overs, 0 wickets, 39 runs.
- How She Failed: While she was India’s most economical bowler (an excellent economy rate of 4.87 RPO when others were going for nearly 7), her primary role as the strike bowler is to take early wickets. She was unable to get a single breakthrough. This lack of wickets from the team’s main pacer allowed Australia to build their massive total, which fits the “lost her wicket-taking mojo” description perfectly.