India Stun Australia to Reach the Finals, Jemimah Rodrigues Leads the Charge

Now that’s how you beat the Aussies on our home soil and silence every critic. Jemimah Rodrigues took India a step closer to victory, guiding the women’s team into the finals with a stunning performance.

In a nail-biting semi-final that had the entire nation on edge, the Indian women’s cricket team defeated Australia in what will be remembered as one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament.

The match took place on October 30. Australia’s captain Alyssa Healy won the toss and chose to bat first. She, along with Phoebe Litchfield, opened the innings. However, Healy departed early for just 5 runs. Litchfield, on the other hand, took control, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 119, well supported by Ellyse Perry, who scored 77. Australia finished with an impressive total of 338, a mountain of runs, especially with India’s opening batter Pratika Rawal ruled out due to injury.

Chasing 338 was never going to be easy. The pressure was immense on the Indian side.
Openers Smriti Mandhana and the much-awaited Shefali Verma, who replaced Rawal, couldn’t quite deliver. Shefali fell for just 10, and Mandhana followed for 24.

But then came Jemimah Rodrigues. Walking in under pressure, she refused to give up.
Standing tall at the crease, Rodrigues played the innings of her life, an incredible 127-run knock that took India all the way to the finals. She survived a few close calls, including dropped catches, but made every chance count, and turned the game around for India, making history as the highest run chase ever in women’s day internationals.

When the presenter asked, “What was going through your mind during the chase?” Jemimah Rodrigues: “Just one voice… ‘I have to finish like Virat Kohli!’ This line was everything we witnessed on the pitch.

What a victory by our team over a mighty opponent like Australia. A great chase by the girls and a standout performance by Jemimah in a big game. A true display of resilience, belief, and passion. Well done, Team India! – Virat Kohli on his X.

This win meant everything.
Just days ago, the team faced harsh trolling online after two consecutive losses, people questioned their right to equal pay, equal hype, and even made sexist comments suggesting women “belong in the kitchen.”
Jemimah’s innings was more than just a match-winning performance; it was an answer to every critic who ever doubted women in sport.

As the winning run was hit, the entire stadium erupted.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, her teammates, and even the coaching staff were in tears.
This win felt personal, a moment that, in many ways, healed the heartbreak of India’s 2023 Men’s World Cup loss.

Now, all eyes turn to the final, where India will face South Africa, playing their first-ever Women’s World Cup final. The pressure is high on both sides, but the prayers and hopes of a billion Indians are with our women in blue.

Adding to the emotional night was the post-match presentation, where Jemimah Rodrigues delivered a heartfelt speech, and captain Harmanpreet couldn’t hold back tears. On the other side, Australian skipper Alyssa Healy revealed that this would be her last ODI World Cup, marking the end of an era for Australian women’s cricket.