NEW DELHI: From heartbreaks to history, Indian women’s cricket completed its long, unfinished journey to glory as Harmanpreet Kaur’s fearless team outlasted South Africa by 52 runs in a gripping final to lift their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup crown here on Sunday.

Indian cricket finally touched its Everest as years of toil and near-misses culminated in an evening of redemption and history for the hosts. The triumph in the 13th edition of the global showpiece made India only the fourth team to win the trophy, joining Australia, England and New Zealand in the elite list of champions. With this victory, Harmanpreet’s team buried the ghosts of 2005 and 2017 to deliver India’s long-awaited world title — a watershed moment for the game in the country.

After posting 298 for 7, the second-highest total in tournament history, India held their nerve to bowl out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs. The Proteas’ chase revolved around captain Laura Wolvaardt’s superb 98-ball 101, but the brilliance of Deepti Sharma (55 and 5/39) and Shafali Verma (87 and 2/36) ensured India’s destiny could not be denied.

Deepti, Shafali lead India’s golden night

Deepti and Shafali were at the heart of India’s triumph. Deepti, the ever-reliable performer, finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 21 scalps, bowling with control and composure on the biggest stage. Shafali, on the other hand, was a story of revival — brought back into the squad after Pratika Rawal’s injury, she turned opportunity into impact. Confined to domestic cricket just weeks ago, the 21-year-old responded with an innings full of confidence and maturity, scoring 87 off 84 balls before taking two crucial wickets that tilted the game India’s way.

Her return proved a masterstroke as she and Smriti Mandhana (45) gave India the perfect start with a 104-run opening stand after a two-hour rain delay. Mandhana’s dismissal denied her a half-century but capped off a record-breaking campaign — 434 runs at 54.25, the most by any Indian batter in Women’s World Cup history. Jemimah Rodrigues, the star of India’s semifinal win over Australia, looked set for another long stay before a sharp catch from Wolvaardt cut her innings short. With both set batters gone, India looked to their captain for a defining knock, but it wasn’t to be.

Proteas resist, India stand tall

South Africa began their chase well with Tazmin Brits (23) and Wolvaardt adding 51 for the first wicket. But a brilliant direct hit from Amanjot Kaur opened the gates, and from there, India’s bowlers took control. Shree Charani’s precise lines fetched Anneke Bosch’s wicket before Shafali’s twin strikes rattled the middle order.

When Wolvaardt threatened to take the game away, Deepti struck twice in four balls — removing the South African skipper and Chloe Tryon — to crush their hopes. She fittingly took the final wicket of Nadine de Klerk to trigger euphoric celebrations.

A victory for generations

The night was soaked in symbolism. Harmanpreet lifted the trophy that had eluded Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, the trailblazers of Indian women’s cricket. For the younger brigade — Mandhana, Jemimah and Richa Ghosh — it marked the dawn of a new era, one where Indian women’s cricket stood shoulder to shoulder with the sport’s global powers.

As fireworks lit up Navi Mumbai, the emotion on Harmanpreet’s face said it all. The wait was finally over. From heartbreak to history, India’s women had rewritten their story — and this time, they wrote it in gold.

If June 25, 1983 was the day Indian men’s cricket found its place in the world, November 2, 2025 will forever be remembered as the moment Indian women’s cricket came of age. Rohit Sharma, watching from the stands, carried the scars of 2023 but smiled as Harmanpreet’s side conquered the world. When she latched onto Nadine de Klerk’s catch at extra cover, Ian Bishop summed it up perfectly — “inspiring generations.”

For head coach Amol Muzumdar, who never got to don India whites, this global triumph with the women’s team will surely heal some of those old wounds. And for a billion hearts, this night was nothing short of pure, golden history.

(With PTI Inputs)