All hail to the “Women in Blue” who managed to clinch their first-ever Women`s World Cup title. On Sunday night, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to emerge victorious at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
The triumph will also help women`s cricket to grow significantly across the globe.
In all of the historic World Cups that the Indians have managed to secure, there are some crucial catches which in turn scripted history.
During the ODI Women`s World Cup 2025 final, South Africa`s skipper, Laura Wolvaardt, was all guns blazing as she delivered a crucial knock. Facing 98 balls, she smashed 101 runs, with the help of 11 boundaries and a maximum. Her dismissal proved to be of immense importance as the match proceeded.
Team India`s Amanjot Kaur took a stunner in Deepti Sharma`s over to show Wolvaardt the path to the pavilion.
In an attempt to chase the target of 299 runs, the Proteas were bowled out for 246 runs in 45.3 overs. Deepti Sharma was the most successful bowler for the hosts. Bowling 9.3 overs, she bagged five wickets for 39 runs. Shafali Verma, too, claimed two wickets by conceding 36 runs in seven overs. Nallapureddy Charani also picked up one wicket for 48 runs in nine overs.
Earlier, in the Men`s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, Suryakumar Yadav had showcased a similar effort. In the match against South Africa, Suryakumar took a boundary line catch of swashbuckling batsman, David Miller, to help the “Men in Blue” lay their hands on the silverware.
The “Men in Blue”, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, had won the T20 World Cup 2024 by seven runs at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Heading to the year 1983, the year in which the Kapil Dev-led India defeated the mighty West Indies to become the World Champions.
In the final of the Prudential World Cup, skipper Dev had taken a catch of the legendary batsman Vivian Richards by running backwards. The catch also proved to be an important one in India`s historic triumph.
With this, India clinched the trophy by defeating the Caribbean at the Lord`s Cricket Ground in London.
These three catches truly define the phrase, “Catches win matches!”.