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New Delhi: Jemimah Rodrigues played an innings for her life, smashing a century for the ages as Team India pulled off a world record chase to qualify for the Women’s World Cup final with a five-wicket victory against defending champions Australia in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 31.
Chasing a record target of 339 runs, Rodrigues played a sensational innings, helping the Women in Blue storm in the final for the third time after 2005 and 2017. She smacked an unbeaten 127 runs off 134 balls, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a crucial 89 runs off 88 deliveries.
Deepti Sharma (24) and Richa Ghosh (26) also chipped in with crucial contributions as India chased down the target with nine balls remaining. India will take on South Africa in the final.
When Amanjot Kaur hit the winning runs, Rodrigues broke down in tears as her teammates ran in to celebrate with her. With her sensational innings in the knockout game, Rodrigues became India’s cricketing star — just as former England captain Nasser Hussain had predicted back in 2018.
He shared a post on X and wrote that, "Remember the name... Jemimah Rodrigues.. did some throw downs with her today .. she’s going to be a star for India,". Eight years later, Rodrigues proved him right, playing one of the most important innings in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
After the match, she thanked her parents and coach for believing in her. Rodrigues further added that it was really hard for her in the last four months, as she was not doing well mentally and went through a lot of anxiety.
Jemimah Rodrigues made her India debut back in 2018, but the journey since then has been anything but smooth. She was dropped from the team, left out of the 2022 World Cup squad, and trolled for making reels. She also batted out of the position for the team.
Behind her ever-smiling face, there was a girl fighting anxiety, sleepless nights, and the weight of expectations. She cried silently, yet never gave up.
Even in the ongoing ODI World Cup, she was dropped from the team after a poor start. But Rodrigues never stopped believing. Because champions aren’t defined by how they fall, but by how they rise. And when Team India needed her the most, she stood tall.
With belief, with courage, with fire in her heart - she played the innings of her life against Australia. An unforgettable, match-winning knock that has taken India one step closer to World Cup glory.
Take a bow, Jemimah Rodrigues. You’ve made the whole nation proud. Because when it’s written by God, every setback is just a setup for a greater comeback.
