In a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest moments in Indian women’s cricket, Jemimah Rodrigues produced a breathtaking performance, scoring an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls to guide India to a record-breaking five-wicket victory over defending champions Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Chasing 339, India reached the target in 48.3 overs, powered by Rodrigues’ stunning innings and a vital 167-run partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89). The triumph sends India into the Women’s World Cup final, a first in nearly two decades, as fans across the country erupted in celebration.
For Rodrigues, the match was deeply personal — and emotional. “I’ve cried almost every day through this tour. I wasn’t doing well mentally, going through anxiety,” the 24-year-old admitted after the win, tears welling up as she spoke. “Today wasn’t about my fifty or my hundred, it was about making India win.”
The Mumbai batter, who had struggled for form earlier in the tournament and was even dropped for one game, called the innings a “dream come true.” “I want to thank Jesus — I could not do this on my own. I want to thank my mom, dad, coach, and everyone who believed in me. It’s been really hard this last month. It still hasn’t sunk in,” she said.
Rodrigues revealed that she only learned she would bat at No. 3 moments before walking in. “I was taking a shower when they told me. Five minutes later, I was walking out to bat,” she laughed. “It wasn’t about where I batted — I just wanted to take India through after losing so many crunch matches before.”
Her innings — filled with 14 boundaries, composure, and resilience — stood as a testament to faith and mental strength. “Towards the end, I was just quoting scripture — that God will fight for me. I stood there, and He fought for me,” she said.
As India sealed the victory, Rodrigues broke down on the field, embraced by teammates and cheered by a roaring home crowd. “When I couldn’t carry on, Deepti and the others kept encouraging me. Every single cheer from the stands gave me energy. I can’t take credit for anything — it was all of us together.”
From personal struggle to national triumph, Jemimah Rodrigues’ story has become the emotional heartbeat of India’s campaign — a tale of faith, perseverance, and redemption that will inspire generations to come.