India bring back '83', this time with women power

The Indian women’s cricket team made history on Sunday (November 2) when they defeated a resurgent South Africa by 52 runs at Dr D Y Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai to lift their maiden 50-over World Cup crown, which is also their first-ever world title in any format. It is 42 years since Kapil Dev led India to their first-ever men's cricket World Cup at Lord's in 1983 that the women matched that feat.

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Harmanpreet Kaur’s side prevailed over its opponents, who were spearheaded by an in-form captain, Laura Wolvaardt, who hit a valiant hundred but fell short of taking her country home. For India, Deepti Sharma played a perfect all-rounder's game with a crucial fifty and a five-wicket haul.

Wolvaardt's 101 goes in vain

Chasing a record target of 299 in a 50-over World Cup final to win the trophy, the Proteas were bowled out for 246 runs in 45.3 overs. Wolvaardt, who finished the tournament as the highest scorer with more than 550 runs, hit 101 off 98 balls, but there was not enough support from the other end.

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Deepti's five wickets included the prized one of the South Africa captain, came after a fine batting performance, while Shafali Verma, who belted a scintillating 87, chipped in with two scalps.

India openers give flying start

Earlier, India came back well into the match after openers Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali gave them a flying start, putting up 104 runs for the first wicket, after South Africa won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. Smriti’s knock saw her eclipse former India captain Mithali Raj to become the India batter with the most runs (434) in an edition of the Women’s World Cup.

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Shafali, on the other hand, scored her first one-day international fifty in three years after she was brought back to the national side to replace an injured Pratika Rawal.

Deepti, Richa make key partnership

The South African bowlers applied brakes in the middle overs to engineer a mini slump in India’s middle order, but Deepti (58) and Richa Ghosh (34) revived the acceleration towards the end of the innings to take the total close to 300, even though India would have been disappointed that they could not get 330-340 after the start they got. Captain Harmanpreet managed only 20 while Jemimah Rodrigues, hero of India’s semi-final victory over defending champions Australia, was dismissed for 24.

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For South Africa, medium pacer Ayabonga Khaka was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 58 runs.

The match's start was delayed due to rain, but it was not shortened.

Brief scores: India 298/7 in 50 overs (Shafali Verma 87, Deepti Sharma 58, Smriti Mandhana 45, Richa Ghosh 34, Ayabonga Khaka 3/58) beat South Africa 246 all out in 45.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 101, Annerie Dercksen 35, Sune Luus 25, Deepti Sharma 5/39) by 52 runs.