Historic! Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. lift Indias first-ever Womens World Cup trophy - WATCH
Amid loud cheers and emotional celebrations, Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team lifted their maiden Women's ODI World up title at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai after beating South Africa in the final.
In what was a watershed moment for Indian sports, Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. lifted their maiden Women's ODI World Cup title amid epic celebrations and emotional scenes at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. India etched their name in history with their first-ever Women's World Cup crown after beating South Africa in a tense final.
Having missed out on a chance to lift the trophy on two occasions in the past, India finally brought an end to a 52-year-long wait for their maiden World Cup glory in what was a night to remember. Skipper Harmanpreet plucked the catch of South Africa's Nadine de Klerk to help India seal the final as the entire stadium erupted in celebrations.
Chants of 'India, India' echoed throughout the stadium as Harmanpreet stood on the podium to collect the trophy. There were tears of ecstasy, joy and pride among the member of the Indian team, who will be forever go down as heroes for finally clinching a historic maiden Women's World Cup crown for India.
It was an iconic moment as Harmanpreet received the trophy from ICC chief Jay Shah and joined her teammates for celebrations that will be remembered by millions of Indian fans across the world in the days to come. It was a moment that not only highlighted India's remarkable rise in women's sport, but also symbolised growth, progress and a bright future for the women's game in the country.
Watch Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. lift India's maiden Women's World Cup trophy:
Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma shine as India hammer South Africa in final
Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma produced terrific all-round performances to help India clinch a dominant 52-run win against South Africa in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Shafali, who joined the team in the semi-finals as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, slammed a brilliant 87-run knock to set up the stage for a strong total for India before picking up two crucial wickets with the ball.
Deepti scored a gritty half-century to take India closer to the 300-run mark before bagging a memorable five-wicket haul to help the hosts bundle out South Africa for 246 in the 298-run chase to secure a historic victory for the country. Deepti and Shafali combined to run through the Proteas batting line-up with seven wickets between them in the final.
The historic victory saw India become only the fourth country after Australia, England and New Zealand to win the Women's ODI World Cup title as South Africa's campaign ended in yet another heartbreak.