Jemimah Rodrigues formed the spine of the record chase from India. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)Jemimah Rodrigues starred with a sensational 127 not out off 134 balls as India overpowered defending champions Australia in the semi-final of the 2025 Women’s World Cup and stormed to the final. India chased down a target of 339, thus rewriting the record for the highest succesfull run chase of all time in women’s ODIs.
India suffered an early blow in the chase with Shafali Verma falling in the second over, and burning a review as well. There was then a 46-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Rodrigues before the former was strangled down the leg side by Kim Garth in the 10th over.
However, then came an epic 167-run stand for the third wicket which came in just 156 balls between captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Rodrigues. While Australia had piled on the pressure on the Indian batters with their fielding, cracks started to appear about halfway through that partnership. The biggest of those was captain Alyssa Healy dropping a sitter off Rodrigues in the 33rd over when the latter was on 82.
Incredibly, that was not the only let off that Rodrigues enjoyed on the night. Almost exactly 10 overs later, Tahlia McGrath let a straightforward catch go right through her hands and Rodrigues yet another reprieve, this time when she was on 106.
Australia chipped their way back into the match after Harmanpreet, who had been suffering from cramps towards the end of her knock, fell on 89 off 88 balls. Deepti Sharma then seemed set to accelarate India’s march to victory but ended up being run out against the run of play on 24 off 17 balls. Richa Ghosh then came in and played a typically aggressive knock. She was dismissed by Annabel Sutherland on 26 off 16.
It marks a remarkable turnaround for Rodrigues herself. The 25-year-old had generally been suffering from indifferent form going into this World Cup copped two ducks in the first three innings that she played in the tournament. Jemimah was even dropped from the Indian squad for their fifth match of the tournament against England.
Rodrigues then took matters into her own hands, start off the 47th over with a four and then hitting two more in the next. Amanjot Kaur then sealed the deal, smashing the first ball of the 49th over through the off side for a four and then carved the third ball through backward point for another and thus came India’s winning runs.
Earlier, a 93-ball 119 by Phoebe Litchfield got Australia to a score of 338 in 49.5 overs. Australia looked set to post a score well over 350 during her 155-run partnership for the second wicket with Ellyse Perry which came in just 133 balls. Perry played second fiddle in that stand and was the second highest run scorer for Australia with 77 in 88 balls. India pulled things back thanks largely to the efforts of Shree Charani, who finished with figures of 2/49.
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