India Make History as Rodrigues and Harmanpreet End Australia’s Reign

In a thrilling encounter at the DY Patil Stadium, India made history by defeating Australia in the Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final, chasing down a massive 339-run target to enter their first final since 2017.

Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the show with an unbeaten 127*, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a crucial knock of 89 runs. Together, they built a match-winning 167-run partnership that powered India to a five-wicket victory with nine balls to spare.

Australia, batting first, posted a huge 338, led by Phoebe Litchfield’s brilliant 119, supported by Ellyse Perry’s 77 and Ashleigh Gardner’s quick 63. However, India’s bowlers fought back strongly, taking 8 wickets for 118 runs in the latter stages to restrict further damage.

When India came out to bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave a quick start before early wickets put pressure on the hosts. But Rodrigues and Harmanpreet steadied the innings beautifully, scoring freely and never letting the required rate get out of hand.

The crowd erupted when Rodrigues reached her maiden World Cup century off 114 balls, but she kept her calm until India crossed the finish line. A dropped catch by Alyssa Healy when Rodrigues was on 82 turned out to be a costly miss for Australia.

With this victory, India ended Australia’s incredible streak of 16 consecutive wins in ODI World Cups. The result also marks the first time in history that neither Australia nor England will feature in a Women’s ODI World Cup final.

India will now face South Africa in the grand finale on Sunday, with hopes high for a maiden World Cup title. The atmosphere at DY Patil was electric, with more than 34,000 fans cheering for every run — and the Indian women didn’t disappoint.

This win wasn’t just about numbers — it was about belief, teamwork, and the power of determination.