At last! India win their first-ever Women's World Cup: Stats
What's the story
Half-centuries from Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma propelled India to a total of 298/7 runs in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 final against South Africa. The match which was played at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, saw India post the second-highest score in a Women's World Cup final. In response, Laura Wolvaardt's heroics weren't enough as the Proteas Women fell short of the 299-run target. Here's more.
India
India become 4th different side to win the Women's WC
India are now the 4th different side to win the Women's World Cup. They have joined the likes of Australia (7), England (4), and New Zealand (1). India were two-time runners-up before this in Women's World Cups (2017 and 2005). This was their maiden World Cup crown from what was a third final appearance. India now own a 4-3 win-loss record against South Africa in ICC Women's World Cups.
Match dynamics
Summary of the Indian innings
The Indian innings was a mix of aggression and caution, with Shafali and Smriti Mandhana leading the charge. The pair added an opening stand worth 104 runs. Mandhana made 45 before perishing. South Africa then hit back by dismissing Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and Shafali (87) to leave India reeling at 171/3 in the 30th over. Deepti then added two crucial stands alongside Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh to help India score 298/7. Deepti ended up scoring 58 runs.
Bowling battle
Summary of South African bowling attack
South Africa's bowling attack, featuring Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus, put up a tough fight against the Indian batswomen. Kapp went wicketless in her 10-over spell (0/59). Ayabonga Khaka was superb, picking 3/58 from 9 overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba did an able job, picking 1/47 from 10 overs. Nadine de Klerk managed 1/52 from 9 overs. Sune Luus bowled 5 overs and clocked 0/34. Chloe Tryon picked 1/46 from 7 overs.
Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana attains this massive Women's World Cup record
Mandhana went past Mithali's record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a single edition of the World Cup. With a knock of 45 runs, Mandhana finished her 2025 World Cup with a tally of 434 runs from 9 matches at 54.25 (100s: 1, 50s: 2). Notably, Mithali managed 409 runs from 9 matches in the 2017 World Cup. Overall, Mandhana owns 993 runs in the ICC Women's World Cup from 25 matches at 43.17.
Shafali
Shafali Verma hammers 87 in Women's World Cup final
Shafali's 87 came off 78 balls. She hit 2 sixes and 7 fours. With this knock, she raced to a tally of 741 runs from 31 matches at 24.70. This is now her career-best score. She also hit her 5th WODI fifty. As per ESPNcricinfo, in 5 matches versus South Africa, she has amassed 192 runs at 38.40 (50s: 2).
Deepti
Deepti Sharma slams her 18th fifty in Women's ODIs
Deepti arrived in the middle when India were in a spot of bother at 171/3. Deepti was then part of a 52-run stand alongside Harmanpreet and another 47-run partnership with Richa. Deepti owns 2,739 runs from 121 matches (103 innings) at 37.01. This was her 18th fifty (100s: 1). Versus SA-W, she owns 588 runs from 25 matches (20 innings) at 34.58. She hit her 6th fifty versus SA-W. Meanwhile, Deepti owns 493 World Cup runs from 23 matches (50s: 5) at 27.38.
Information
Khaka shines with three wickets for SA-W
Khaka's three-fer means she now owns 142 wickets in WODIs from 119 matches at 27.20. Versus IND-W, she owns 24 wickets from 24 matches at 39.75. Meanwhile, in 22 Women's World Cup matches, Khaka has picked 23 wickets at 33.56.
India
Key records made by Team India with the bat
As per Cricbuzz, India's 298/7 is the second-highest total in a Women's World Cup final after Australia's 356/5 against England in 2022. India posted their 3rd-highest total in Women's ODIs without a batter getting to a hundred. Richa finished the 2025 World Cup campaign with 12 sixes. This is the most by an Indian batter in a World Cup edition. Before this, Harmanpreet held the record (11 sixes in 2017).
Chase
How did South Africa's chase pan out?
SA-W openers Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits added 51 runs for the 1st wicket. India hit back to reduce the viditors to 62/2. Alongside Sune Luus, Wolvaardt added a fifty-plus stand for the third wicket. Shafali broke the stand and also dismissed Marizanne Kapp. SA-W remained in the hunt with Wolvaardt getting key partnerships with Sinalo Jafta and Annerie Dercksen. Wolvaardt got to her century before getting out. SA-W were reduced to 221/8 with Chloe Tryon also departing. India sealed the deal thereafter despite missing two catches.
Wolvaardt
Laura Wolvaardt becomes top-scorer in a Women's World Cup edition
Wolvaardt is now the highest run-scorer in an ICC Women's ODI World Cup edition. Wolvaardt reached the landmark with her 40th run. The South African great surpassed Australia's Alyssa Healy, who slammed 509 runs in the 2022 edition. Besides, she also went past Rachael Haynes (497). Wolvaardt finished the 2025 World Cup campaign with a tally of 571 runs from 9 matches at 71.37.
Stats
11th century for Wolvaardt in WODIs; 2nd against India
Wolvaardt's 101 came from 98 balls (4s: 11, 6s: 1). The star batter hammered her 11th hundred in WODIs. She also owns 38 fifties. Playing her 119th match, she has raced to 5,222 runs at 50.69. Against India Women, she owns 907 runs from 18 matches at 43.19. This was her 2nd century against India (50s: 8). Meanwhile, she has amassed 1,328 World Cup runs from 24 matches at 63.23.
Do you know?
Wolvaardt breaks these dual World Cup records of Mithali Raj
Wolvaardt hammered her 2nd World Cup ton (50s: 12). This is her 14th fifty-plus score in the global event (24 innings). She steered clear of India legend Mithali Raj (13) for the most fifty-plus scores in this regard. Meanwhile, Wolvaardt also went past Mithali to become the 2nd-highest scorer in World Cup history.
Runs
2nd-highest scorer in ICC Women's World Cup history
Wolvaardt is now the 2nd-highest scorer in ICC Women's World Cup history. Most runs in Women's ODI World Cup: 1,501 - Debbie Hockley (NZ-W) 1,328 - Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W) 1,321 - Mithali Raj (IND-W) 1,299 - Janette Brittin (ENG-W) 1,231 - Charlotte Edwards (ENG-W)
Hundreds
2nd-most hundreds as captain in WODIs
This was Wolvaardt's 8th century in Women's ODIs as captain. She has now equaled Suzie Bates in terms of hundreds as captain in WODIs. Meg Lanning (11) is the only player with most tons as captain. Most hundreds as captain in Women's ODIs: 11 - Meg Lanning 8 - Suzie Bates 8 - Laura Wolvaardt 6 - Chamari Athapaththu 6 - Hayley Matthews
Deepti
Deepti floors SA-W with five-wicket haul; notches these records
After hitting 58, Deepti turned out to be a match-winner for India with the ball. She picked 5 wickets for 39 runs from 9.3 overs. Notably, in 23 Women's World Cup games, Deepti now owns 36 wickets at 27.22. This was her maiden World Cup fifer. Meanwhile, Deepti owns 162 wickets in WODIs from 121 matches at 27.32. This was her 4th five-wicket haul in WODIs. Deepti finished the 2025 Women's World Cup with a tally of 22 wickets at 20.40.
Dual records
Dual World Cup records for Deepti with the ball
As per ESPNcricinfo, Deepti's 22 wickets in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is now the most by an Indian bowler in an edition of the tournament. She broke the record of Neetu David and Shubhangi Kulkarni, who claimed 20 wickets in 2005 and 1982 respectively. Deepti is now the 2nd-highest wicket-taker for India in ICC Women's World Cup history. She steered clear of Diana Fram Edulji, who claimed 31 wickets. Only Jhulan Goswami owns more World Cup wickets for India (43).