Tears, relief and sheer joy was what filled the DY Patil Stadium on a night that will go down in the history of Indian cricket.
As the last wicket fell and India sealed a 52-run victory over South Africa, captain Harmanpreet Kaur collapsed into Smriti Mandhana’s arms, overcome with emotion.
The capacity crowd in Navi Mumbai stood up and cheered as India finally lifted its first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup.
Under the spotlight, years of heartbreak flashed before the eyes of every Indian fan, from the near misses in 2005, 2017 and 2020.
But this time, Harmanpreet’s team did not let it slip away. They played with composure, heart and faith, turning decades of dreams into reality.
The emotional moment between Harmanpreet and Mandhana quickly went viral, with fans comparing it to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s embrace after India’s T20 World Cup win in Barbados earlier this year.
India’s path to victory was powered by two stars, Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma. Shafali got the hosts off to a flying start with a blistering 87 off 78 balls while Mandhana backed her up with a steady 44. Their opening stand of 104 runs set the tone for a big total.
Deepti Sharma then took charge with both the bat and the ball. Her composed 58 and crucial five-wicket haul (5 for 39) ensured India never lost control of the game. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt bravely fought for a century, but her dismissal ended all hopes for the visitors.
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