getty imagesOn a dewy Thursday night, Jemimah Rodrigues led India to one of the greatest chases in women’s cricket to qualify for the ICC ODI World Cup final.
Two weeks ago, she was left out of the match against England as India suffered their third successive defeat.
Now, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, she was on top of the world as the home side were all out for 338 with five balls to spare, winning by five wickets.
For defending champions Australia, who have won seven times and are undefeated in the tournament, it was a landmark end to a 16-game unbeaten run at the World Cup that runs until 2022.
At the center of India’s stunning victory was Rodrigues. Rodriguez displayed confidence, skill and tactical brilliance in the tough chase as he scored an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls.
India’s most formidable foes, the giants of women’s cricket, have finally fallen. A new name will appear on the trophy on Sunday with Australia eliminated.
Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty ImagesRodriguez’s first World Cup century helped India overcome the twists and turns and obstacles in their chase.
After the match, pundits hailed it as the greatest ODI century in women’s cricket in the greatest run chase the format has ever seen. Few would disagree.
It was a masterclass from Rodriguez in both conception and execution.
Her reading of the ebbs and flows of play, especially during testing, was excellent.
His ability to find gaps in the field, his innovative strokes to break the rhythm of bowlers and bewildered fielders, his ability to make quick runs between the wickets and his ability to increase his strike rate when required showed the power of the batsman.
What her composure and nobility betrayed was the confusion Rodriguez experienced before and during the competition.
It is now ironic that Rodriguez was not part of India’s original World Cup plans. Rodriguez’s selection came after much debate.
PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP, courtesy of Getty Images)After the match, Rodriguez admitted that he had been battling uncertainty throughout the tournament, about his position, his role and his future after being eliminated.
“I turned to Jesus to help me get out of my mental crisis,” she said.
Faith can move mountains. For Rodriguez, faith silenced the demons in her head and stabilized her focus.
She hit an unbeaten 65 on her return to the playing XI against a tough New Zealand team. But a much bigger challenge awaited her in the semifinals.
Australia chose to bat first and were all out for 338, with 22-year-old opener Phoebe Litchfield hitting 119 off 93 balls and forming a 155-run partnership for the second wicket with veteran Ellyse Perry.
With these two together, Australia looked set to score 375-plus, but India’s bowlers prevented the situation from getting out of control.
Nonetheless, 338 looked like an impressive score to check against an all-powerful Australian side, and India looked to have fallen into a familiar hole when the powerful Shefali Verma and the classy and in-form Smriti Mandhana fell within 10 overs.
At this point, Rodriguez, promoted to third in the batting order, took on the responsibility of changing the trajectory of the game and redefining the team’s destiny and his own career.
A brisk start showed her intentions. In the role of senior partner, she nursed Captain Harmanpreet Kaur during the initial nervous stages.
As the nerves calmed down, the duo grew in confidence, adding 167 for the third wicket and bringing India to the brink of victory.
The Australians fought hard, but the defending champions finally emerged victorious.
India matched their skill and intensity and surpassed their famous resilience. They showed determination, dedication, and steely courage, breaking down psychological barriers with their entertaining style.
getty imagesRodrigues couldn’t contain his emotions after the match, and neither could captain Harmanpreet, who hit a stunning 89 in a partnership that helped India pull off a stunning comeback win.
There was some luck involved in India reaching the final. For example, New Zealand suffered severe damage due to bad weather, losing valuable points.
In the semi-final, Rodriguez had two chances (82 and 107) as Australia uncharacteristically dropped a sitter.
But as everyone said, it was a given that India made it to the final. It was because of the quality of cricket they played and the burning desire they showed. It was an amazing turnaround to come back so strongly after losing three games on the trot.
Both semi-finals held in succession resulted in major upsets, disrupting the knockout stage and creating tension.
In the final, India will face South Africa, who have so far shown strong resilience and ambition to improve despite a rollercoaster ride throughout the tournament.
Having demolished Australia in the Men’s World Test Championship, the Proteas are now looking at a “golden year” with a Women’s ODI World Cup title within sight and India standing in their way.
getty imagesOn paper, South Africa could chase India, who enjoy a home advantage. But with well-informed players like Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk, they have consistently found ways to overcome the odds.
India is within striking distance of creating history. India’s victory would transform women’s cricket globally, just as it happened when Kapil Dev’s unknown team beat the West Indies in 1983.
India and the cricket world are waiting with bated breath for the results of Sunday’s final.
