Team India entered the Women's World Cup 2025 final with a historic five-wicket win over Australia. Chasing 339, India achieved the highest run chase in Women's ODI history, powered by Jemimah Rodrigues' ton and Harmanpreet Kaur's crucial 89.

Team India sealed their spot in the Women's World Cup 2025 final with a five-wicket win over the defending champions, Australia, in the semifinal at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 30.

With a 339-run target, Team India chased it down with nine balls to spare, or in 48.3 overs, recording the highest run chase in the history of Women's ODI cricket. Jemimah Rodrigues was the star performer with the bat as she played an unbeaten innings of 127 off 134 balls, registering her first World Cup century while guiding India to a record run chase. Harmanpreet Kaur played a captain's innings of 89 off 88 balls, providing the perfect blend of aggression and stability to steady India's run chase.

While Team India qualified for the final, let's take a look at key takeaways from their five-wicket win over Australia in the semifinal.

Before the match was halted due to rain, Indian pacer Kranti Gaud provided an early breakthrough for the hosts by dismissing Alyssa Healy for 5 at 25/1. After the resumption of play, Australia regained Control with steady partnerships. Phoebe Litchfield (119) and Ellyse Perry (77) shared a 155-run stand for the second wicket, and Ashleigh Gardner (63) and Kim Grath (17) formed a 66-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take Australia past the 300-run mark.

These two partnerships put the Indian bowling attack on the back foot, nullifying an early advantage and exposing India's inconsistency in the middle overs bowling. There was a little relief after Litchfield's dismissal, but Australia's lower order continued to chip in with valuable runs. Deepti Sharma (2/73), Radha Yadav (1/66), Amanjot Kaur (0/51), and Kranti Gaud (1/58) conceded over 50 runs in their respective spells.

Smriti Mandhana was one of the key players in India's semifinal clash against Australia, but she had only a brief stay at the crease as the vice-captain was dismissed for 24 at 59/2. However, her dismissal became one of the talking points from the match as it sparked controversy around the UltraEdge. The incident took place in the 10th over of India's run chase when the vice-captain Mandhana nudged a delivery wide of off-stump that diverted past her bat.

Though skeptical, Australia skipper Alyssa Healy opted for a DRS. However, Healy's decision to go for a review turned out to be a game-changer, as the UltraEdge showed a faint spike of the ball brushing the edge of Mandhana's bat before entering Healy's gloves. The third umpire overturned the on-field umpire's decision, declaring her out, leaving Smriti Mandhana surprised, as she was not convinced that the ball made any contact with her bat.

After Smriti Mandhana's dismissal, India's hopes of chasing down a monumental target were revived when Jemimah Rodrigues was joined by Harmanpreet Kaur at the crease. The pair was not aggressive under pressure but rather focused on rebuilding the innings with calculated strokeplay and smart rotation of the strike. Both completed their fifties almost in tandem, showcasing their remarkable composure and understanding between the wickets.

Jemimah and Harmanpreet's 167-run partnership not only put India's chase back on track but also exerted pressure on Australia's bowling attack, who were running out of ideas and struggling to break the partnership. The duo's controlled aggression and tactical awareness disrupted Australia's rhythm, forcing fielding errors, including two dropped catches of Jemimah Rodrigues, and bowling changes as India steadily inched closer to the target.

Though Jemimah Rodrigues was the cornerstone of India's chase, the contributions from the middle-order proved equally vital in sealing the win for the Women in Blue. Deepti Sharma played a crucial knock of 24 off 17 balls, while Richa Ghosh scored a brisk 26 off 16 balls to keep the scoreboard ticking and ease the pressure during the tense final overs.

Then, Amanjot Kaur complemented the effort of Jemimah with her unbeaten 15 off 8 balls, including a winning four that sealed India's place in the World Cup final. The unbeaten 31-run stand between Jemimah and Amanjot was equally crucial as it showcased India's depth and calmness under pressure. The duo's composed approach in the closing stages denied any late comeback for Australia.

With a semifinal win over Australia, Team India made it to the third Women's World Cup final. India reached the finals in 2005 and 2017, but fell short of clinching the title on both occasions. After 8 years, the Women in Blue are back in the final and this time on home soil, which adds an emotional edge to their campaign. The team's form, balance, and self-belief reignited India's hopes of ending its long wait for a world title.

India will facing South Africa, who made it to their maiden Women's ODI World Cup final after a thrilling win over England in the other semifinal. With both teams chasing history, the stage is set for a blockbuster finale in Navi Mumbai. Team India will look to leverage home advantage and lift their maiden World Cup title, while South Africa will aim to script their own fairytale.

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