The ODI Women`s World Cup 2025 saw one of its best matches as Harmanpreet Kaur-led India produced a fantastic performance in the semifinal that not only saw the captain but also Jemimah Rodrigues smash a brilliant knock to help her side win the all-important clash to lead them into the final.
In the post-match interview, Rodrigues, who got emotional after the win, said, “Firstly, I would like to thank Jesus because I couldn’t do this on my own. I know he carried me through today. I want to thank my mom, my dad, my coach, and every single person who believed in me during this time.”
The superstar cricketer also mentioned how she was pushing herself by quoting a Bible scripture because she was very tired. “Initially I was just talking to myself, then towards the end I was just quoting one scripture from the Bible because I had lost energy, I was very tired. The scripture says, “Just stand still and God will fight for you. That’s what I did, I just stood there, and he fought for me.”
Interestingly, this is one of the few times that a sportsperson has highlighted a specific religious identity, as others mostly refer to the spiritual entity as ‘God’. The very mention has made a lot of cricket and followers of Christianity very happy.
However, what is the quote that Rodrigues said helped her get through the challenging time of the match to help India win? It is Exodus 14:14. Simply put, it is the second book in the holy book of the followers of Christianity, and verse 14 of chapter 14, which says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Rodrigues had a poor start to the tournament with just 65 runs in four innings, including two ducks and was dropped for the match against England in the league stage. However, she produced an innings for the ages as her 127 (not out) in 134 balls (with 14 boundaries) helped India chase down 339 runs, the highest-ever run-chase in women`s ODI cricket and in the knockout matches across both men`s and women`s ODI World Cups.
With this win, India will be pumped and look to win the ODI Women`s World Cup 2025 final.