Shafali, Deepti star as India are World Cup champions

MEET THE NEW WORLD CHAMPIONS!!

Harmanpreet Kaur and Arundhati Reddy embrace after becoming world champions•ICC/Getty Images

Five for Deepti! She fittingly takes the last wicket, and guess who takes the catch – captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The captain who was bawling in the dugout a few nights ago, with the final yet to go.

The end of the 45th over brings the eighth wicket as Khaka is found short, a run out also effects by Deepti Sharma. SA need 53 from the last five and they fall short by 52…Nadine de Klerk falls in the end as she goes inside out and Harman runs back from cover, leaps, catches the ball and seals the World Cup!

“This is just the starting, we are going to dominate the world in every format,” Amanjot Kaur says.

Third time in the final…2005, 2007 both under Mithali Raj, and she’s watching from the sidelines, as she was on commentary. Jhulan Goswami is there too, Diana Edulji in the stands….they have all contributed to this and they can soak it all in!

Deepti gets the big Wolf with double-strike

Deepti Sharma is doing it all by herself. She gets the big fish as Wolvaardt miscues a big sweep and Amanjot Kaur plays with the crowd’s hearts by taking the catch on not one, not two but three attempts!

And when the dangerous duo of de Klerk and Tryon get together, Deepti takes just three more balls to trap Tryon in front. She’s confident, India are confident, but Tryon reviews after she’s given out. My word – she’s pinned in front of leg, this is a quick delivery with a different grip, and ball-tracking shows it’s just clipping top of leg. That means umpire’s call and India get the wicket!

South Africa eight down!

Deepti yorks Dercksen, Wolvaardt gets another ton

An excellent effort from Amanjot Kaur has Laura Wolvaardt walking back to the dugout after anchoring the chase 🔥

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— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) November 2, 2025

No need for turn, drift or bounce. After Shafali is taken for nine in her seventh over, Deepti Sharma unleashes a yorker to uproot off stump! Chloe Tryon joins the captain…

And two balls later, Wolvaardt brings up her second century in as many matches. A 169 in the semi, another ton in the final (just like Alyssa Healy in 2022). If her century in the semi-final was about leading the team batting first and then taking off in the end to mount the pressure on England, tonight she has been soaking in all the pressure, wicket after wicket after wicket. A century off 96 balls, she’s leading her team close, and if she does, can the lower order finish things off for her? What a tribute that will be for their captain…

This might go close…

South Africa’s asking rate goes past eight an over but it ain’t out of control right now – 105 to get from 78 and this pair is looking good, going at run a ball. The conditions are still good for batting, not too much dew, and no team too far ahead now.

The South African dugout is sending one message after another (along with some hydration) – Nondumiso Shangase brings one for Wolvaardt, Masabata Klaas for Dercksen. Possibly asking them to take it deep as Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk can belt some big hits.

And the fifty partnership comes up between these two.

Are the scales tilting back?

Radha Yadav deliveries a high full toss which Dercksen laps up for a six over wide long-on. It’s a free hit and she dispatches that over the same cow corner region for 13 runs off two balls!

It’s the second drinks break, India get into a huddle because SA need 126 runs from 18 overs, not to far from how the match was placed in Vizag when SA’s lower order pulled off a heist. Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk, the heroes that night, are yet to bat. Wolvaardt going steady on 81…can she get two in two?

Radha’s figures stand at 5-0-45-0 after that 17-run over.

The crowd gets behind their team by singing Maa Tujhe Salaam by none other than AR Rahman.

Are the scales tilting?

Sinalo Jafta is not able to pierce the fielders in the 25-yard circle nor is she able to rotate the strike early. It might have affected Wolvaardt’s rhythm as well, who has edge around a couple of times.

India put in the spin squeeze with Shafali, Deepti and Shree Charani and Jafta gives in, chipping a catch to midwicket for a scratchy 16 off 29 balls.

South Africa 150 for 5 after 30 overs, with 149 to get from 120 balls. Annerie Dercksen joins the captain and it’s time for her to step up, having scored just 20 runs in four innings this World Cup.