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The ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 culminated in a historic victory for India, who secured their maiden title with a compelling 52-run win over first-time finalists South Africa in Navi Mumbai.
Women’s World Cup 2025: A historic triumph for India
The tournament was a spectacular showcase of the global growth of women’s cricket, marked by high-scoring thrillers and individual brilliance. India’s campaign, a rollercoaster of dominant wins, a mid-tournament slump, and a breathtaking semi-final chase against Australia, ultimately delivered a watershed moment for the sport in the nation.
The final itself was a contest of two titans: the aggressive batting of India’s Shafali Verma (87) and the all-round genius of Deepti Sharma (58 and 5/39), who was rightfully named Player of the Tournament for her consistency, including finishing as the top wicket-taker with 22 scalps. For South Africa, captain Laura Wolvaardt stood tall, breaking the record for most runs in a single edition with 571, an effort capped by a valiant century in the final. The packed stadiums and record-breaking performances confirmed the 2025 edition as a grand success.
Women’s World Cup 2025 Team of the Tournament
| Player Name | Nationality | Role | Performance Summary |
| Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa | Opener/Captain | Record-breaking 571 runs (Avg: 71.37), including two centuries and three fifties. Led from the front with the bat, finishing as the top run-scorer. |
| Smriti Mandhana | India | Opener | 434 runs (Avg: 54.25), including one century and two fifties. Provided strong starts for India, including a 104-run partnership in the final. |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | India | Batter | Scored 387 runs (Avg: 64.50) with a crucial 127* in the historic semi-final chase against Australia, showcasing consistency and clutch performance. |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt | England | All-rounder | 355 runs (Avg: 71.00) with one century and three fifties, plus 5 wickets. A pivotal middle-order batter and reliable medium-pace bowler. |
| Harmanpreet Kaur (c) | India | Batter/Captain | Led India to their maiden World Cup title. Contributed vital runs in crucial chases, including an 89 in the semi-final. Her tactical decisions were key. |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | All-rounder | 328 runs (Avg: 82.00, SR: 130) with two centuries, and 7 wickets. Explosive with the bat and an effective off-spinner, a highly destructive force. |
| Richa Ghosh (wk) | India | Wicketkeeper/Batter | 235 runs (Avg: 39.17, SR: 134) including a 94, and 12 dismissals. Her aggressive lower-order hitting and excellent keeping made her the top choice behind the stumps. |
| Deepti Sharma | India | All-rounder | Player of the Tournament. 215 runs (3 fifties) and the highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets (Avg: 14.50). Her final performance (58 & 5/39) was monumental. |
| Annabel Sutherland | Australia | Fast Bowler/All-rounder | 17 wickets (Avg: 15.82) and 117 runs, including a 98*. Outstanding pace bowling with excellent economy and match-winning contributions with the bat. |
| Sophie Ecclestone | England | Spinner | 16 wickets (Avg: 14.25) with a brilliant economy. The world’s top-ranked spinner maintained her dominance, controlling the middle overs for England. |
| Ayabonga Khaka | South Africa | Fast Bowler | 13 wickets (Avg: 18.00) and was consistently one of the best new-ball bowlers, providing crucial breakthroughs for the finalists, including 3 wickets in the final. |
- Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa): As the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 571 runs, including a record-breaking tally for a single edition and two centuries (one in the final), Wolvaardt was a non-negotiable opener and the logical choice for Captain based on her leadership to the final.
- Smriti Mandhana (India): Finished as one of the top run-getters with 434 runs. Her ability to provide consistently fluent and strong starts was crucial to India’s success, laying the foundation in nearly every match.
- Jemimah Rodrigues (India): A middle-order pillar, she amassed 387 runs and played the defining innings of the tournament—a career-best 127* in the record-breaking chase against Australia in the semi-final.
- Nat Sciver-Brunt (England): The premier all-rounder, she was prolific with 355 runs at a remarkable average of 71.00 and chipped in with 5 wickets. Her all-round impact makes her an essential number four.
- Harmanpreet Kaur (India): Selected for her captaincy in guiding India to a historic maiden title, complemented by crucial innings like her 89 in the semi-final when the team needed it most, demonstrating leadership and performance under pressure.
Also WATCH: Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav console Marizanne Kapp after India clinches Women’s World Cup 2025
- Ashleigh Gardner (Australia): An explosive all-rounder whose strike rate of 130 for 328 runs was unmatched among top-order batters, alongside her ability to break partnerships with her off-spin, bagging 7 wickets.
- Richa Ghosh (India) (Wicketkeeper): With 235 runs at a striking strike rate of 134 and being the most secure wicketkeeper with 12 dismissals, her aggressive hitting provided the necessary late-innings acceleration.
- Deepti Sharma (India): The Player of the Tournament. Her all-round performance was exceptional: 215 runs (3 fifties) and the most wickets (22) in the tournament. Her final heroics (58 runs, 5/39) sealed her spot as the premier spinner and all-rounder.
- Annabel Sutherland (Australia): An outstanding pace bowler with 17 wickets (second only to Deepti) at a fantastic average, she also demonstrated exceptional batting depth, including a 98*, making her a high-value pace-bowling all-rounder.
- Sophie Ecclestone (England): The number one ODI bowler delivered as expected, taking 16 wickets with an exceptional economy rate, controlling the game in the crucial middle overs for England.
- Ayabonga Khaka (South Africa): A consistent fast bowler throughout the campaign, she claimed 13 wickets and was a reliable source of early breakthroughs, including a strong showing in the final.
12th man and absence of Marizanne Kapp
Shafali Verma (India) is picked as the 12th man. While she only played a few matches, her Player of the Match performance in the final (87 runs and 2 key wickets) was a game-changer and a memorable moment of the tournament. She came into the XI as a late replacement and delivered a career-best, all-round display on the biggest stage, highlighting the depth and match-winning impact she possesses.
Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp‘s absence from a tournament’s playing XI is due to a tough competition in the XI and largely due to her bad performance with both bat (4 off 5 balls) and ball (0/59 in her 10 overs) in the final although she had a very strong tournament. She had an amazing tournament, according to her captain, Laura Wolvaardt. She put up strong all-round numbers: 204 runs in seven innings with two fifties, and 12 wickets at an average of 15.33. Her highlight was a 5-wicket haul (5/20) in the semi-final against England, which propelled South Africa into their first-ever World Cup final. She further became the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history during the tournament, surpassing Jhulan Goswami.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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