The China Mail - 'Just the beginning' as India lift first Women's World Cup

Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma starred with both bat and ball to propel India to the title in front of a jubilant home crowd at Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium.

Hosts India posted 298-7 and then bowled South Africa out for 246 in 45.3 overs with spinner Sharma taking five wickets after earlier contributing a vital run-a-ball 58 in the middle order.

Opener Verma top-scored with 87 as India posted a challenging total after they were put in to bat in a final delayed two hours by rain.

South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt hit a valiant 101 but her departure off Sharma raised the noise at the 45,000-capacity stadium, which had turned into a sea of blue.

Sharma took down Nadine de Klerk, for 18, for the final wicket as India celebrated with the thousands of supporters inside the ground and millions outside in the cricket-mad nation.

"We wanted to break this barrier," Kaur said.

"And our next plan is to make this a habit. We were waiting for it, now this moment has come. So many big occasions are coming, and we want to keep improving. This is not the end, just the beginning."

The Indian women triumphed at the third attempt after finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017.

India toiled in the league phase and suffered three successive defeats but clinched the last semi-final spot, before knocking out record seven-time champions and heavy favourites Australia.

For South Africa, it was a third straight loss in a World Cup final after they finished runners-up in back-to-back editions of the T20 showpiece in 2023 and 2024.

South Africa made their first ODI World Cup final despite starting the competition with a 10-wicket thrashing by England after being bundled out for 69.

- Verma's golden arm -

The Proteas had their revenge when they beat England in the semi-final with Wolvaardt scoring 169.

"I could not be prouder of this team for the campaign we had," said Wolvaardt, who led the tournament batting charts with 571 runs at an average of over 71.

"Brilliant cricket throughout but outplayed today (by India). Unfortunate to be on the losing side but we will definitely grow from this."

Sharma struck key blows with her off-spin in the final, including the wicket of Annerie Dercksen, who hit 35 in a 61-run partnership with Wolvaardt that gave South Africa hope.

But it was Sharma's double-wicket over to dismiss Wolvaardt and then Chloe Tryon, for nine, that took India to the brink of victory.

Kaur's ploy of giving the ball to Verma, a part-time off-spinner, in the 20th over proved key as the youngster removed Sune Luus.

Verma dislodged Marizanne Kapp in the next over to plunge South Africa into deeper trouble but Wolvaardt kept South Africa in the game until her departure in the 42nd over.

Kaur said the decision to hand Verma, who was named player of the match, the ball proved to be the "turning point" of the game.

Verma, who was brought into the team for the semi-final after fellow opener Pratika Rawal went down injured, gave India a fast start with the bat.

She put on 104 runs with Smriti Mandhana (45) to lay solid foundations at a venue that has produced big runs, including India's record chase of 339 in the semi-final against Australia.

Sharma then added valuable runs with her 18th ODI fifty to crank up the pressure on South Africa despite three wickets for Ayabonga Khaka.

Sharma took a tournament-best 22 wickets, also chipping in with 215 runs as a batter, and was named the best player of the World Cup.

C.Mak--ThChM