India pulled off a stunning victory over defending champions Australia, chasing down a record target to win by five wickets at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 30. Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the night, playing an unforgettable unbeaten knock of 127 runs that guided India to the Women’s World Cup final in front of an electrified home crowd.
After the match, an emotional Jemimah opened up about her struggles with anxiety and mental health during the tournament. Fighting back tears, she credited her faith in God for helping her through the tough phase. “I have almost cried every day through this tour,” she said. “I wasn’t doing well mentally and was going through anxiety. I knew I had to show up, and God took care of everything. In the end, I kept quoting a scripture from the Bible… to stand still and let God fight for me. I just stood there, and He fought for me.”
Jemimah also expressed gratitude to her teammates for standing by her throughout the match. Her crucial partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur laid the foundation for India’s record chase. Later, as fatigue set in, her teammates helped her stay calm and focused. “When Harry di came, it was all about building one good partnership,” Jemimah said. “Towards the end, I was exhausted and trying to push myself, but Deepti Sharma spoke to me before every ball, keeping me going. When I couldn’t carry on, my teammates encouraged me. I can’t take credit for anything — it was all of us together.”
She also thanked the home fans for their overwhelming support, saying, “Every person who chanted and cheered for every run gave me the energy to keep going.”
With this brilliant performance, Rodrigues became only the second Indian woman to score a century in a World Cup semi-final, joining captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who famously smashed an unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 edition.
India’s thrilling win not only ended Australia’s eight-year dominance but also marked one of the greatest moments in Indian women’s cricket history.
