India beat South Africa to lift women’s World Cup for the first time

The Indian women's cricket team kept its date with history by winning its first-ever World Cup with a 52-run victory over South Africa to script a golden chapter in the country's pantheon of sporting achievements here on Sunday. Shafali Verma, the 21-year-old, who till last week wasn't even in the reserves, created memories of a lifetime by scoring 87 in India's 298 for 7 and then grabbed a couple of crucial wickets to restrict the Proteas Women to 246 in in front of a packed DY Patil Stadium. Put into bat, the hosts rode half-centuries from Shafali Verma (87) and Deepti Sharma (58) to post 298-7 even though 350 looked well within their reach at one stage.

Talk about making an impact

Shafali Verma becomes the first player to score a and take wickets in an ICC Women's World Cup final

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— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) November 2, 2025

Laura Wolvaardt led South Africa’s reply with a captain’s knock of 101 but they were all out for 246 in 45.3 overs. Sharma claimed 5-39 in a fine all-round display on a memorable night for the hosts. The women’s 50-overs cricket was guaranteed a new champion after South Africa hammered England and India chased down a record target to eliminate defending champions Australia in the semi-finals. With this win, India joined Australia, England and New Zealand as the only countries to have won the showpiece tournament.

Drafted into the side ahead of the knockout stage as a late replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, Verma raced to a 49-ball fifty. Mandhana, India’s leading scorer in the tournament, fell short of a half-century after being caught behind to Chloe Tryon’s left-arm spin. Verma, dropped on 58, looked on course for a hundred but Ayabonga Khaka (3-58) ended her 78-ball knock that included seven fours and two sixes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian women's cricket team for winning its first-ever World Cup with a 52-run victory over South Africa. "A spectacular win by the Indian team in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Finals. Their performance in the final was marked by great skill and confidence," he said in a post on X. "The team showed exceptional teamwork and tenacity throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our players. This historic win will motivate future champions to take up sports," Modi added.