In an unforgettable night of high-stakes drama, Indian batsmen jemima rodrigues gave the performance of a lifetime in women’s world cup 2025 Semi-final against defending champions Australia. His brilliant, unbeaten century led India to a record-breaking victory, a victory so profound that the star batsman burst into tears of relief and joy during the post-match presentation, revealing a deeply personal journey of struggle and faith that culminated in this moment of glory.
Jemimah Rodrigues’s innings, which broke records
At the Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, India faced a mammoth target of 339 runs, the total set by a strong Australian team. with the openers Smriti Mandhana And Shafali Verma Got out cheaply, the pressure was too much. Coming in at number three, Rodriguez made a match-winning partnership of 167 runs with the captain. Harmanpreet Kaur (89), steadied the innings before taking complete control.
Rodrigues set up the chase with a composed, calculated and ultimately brilliant innings of 127 not out off 134 balls. This innings not only secured a sensational five-wicket win with nine balls to spare, but also etched India’s name in history as the most successful run-chase ever in women’s One Day International cricket. Mumbai local girl keeps her composure in tense final overs, guiding key cameos Deepti Sharma And Richa Ghosh First Amanjot Kaur He hit the winning four and there was a stampede in the packed stadium.
Emotional Rodriguez credits faith for strength after setbacks and World Cup exit
Raw emotion was evident as Rodriguez, who was named player of the match, struggled to hold back tears during her interview. He spoke passionately about the personal impact the past months have had on him, shifting the focus from his performances to his mental and emotional battles.
“First of all, I want to thank Jesus, because I couldn’t do it by myself. I know He got me to today. It was really hard in the last four months, but it just feels like a dream and it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Speaking after the match, Rodriguez became emotional and credited his strength to his faith.
The 25-year-old revealed how much of a burden it was on him, especially after being left out of the last World Cup squad and facing a challenging period leading up to this tournament.
Rodriguez talks candidly about self-doubt, faith, and finding purpose beyond personal milestones
Rodriguez admitted to struggling with severe self-doubt and anxiety, and shared a vulnerable side rarely seen on such a big stage. However, he stressed that the century was never about proving a point, but about answering a higher call to win for his country, especially in tough moments where India often faltered. In the final stages of the chase, exhausted and under immense pressure, Rodriguez revealed that she relied on her faith to carry on.
“I have cried almost every day during this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety. Then being out was another challenge for me. Today was not about my 50 or my 100. Today was about making India win… I feel like God has written everything at the right time and if you do things with the right intention, he always blesses. And I think whatever has happened so far Well, that was just a preparation for this.” he added, highlighting his faith in the divine plan.
Here is the video:
#JemimahRodriguesAccepting praise!#CWC25 last 👉 #INDvSA Sun, Nov 2, 2pm! pic.twitter.com/2Ov9ixC7Ai
– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 30 October 2025
With the historic victory of the Indian team, Australia’s 16-match unbeaten streak in the World Cup ended and India reached the Women’s World Cup final for the third time. They are set to take on South Africa at the same venue on Sunday, November 2 as they look to clinch their maiden World Cup title. For Rodriguez, this monumental inning is not just a statistical milestone, but a powerful testament to perseverance, faith and ultimate triumph over personal adversity.
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.