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It takes only a day for an excellent cricketer to become a legend: Deepti Sharma took on that status on Sunday, as India beat South Africa by 52 runs to clinch the 2025 Women’s World Cup at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The all-rounder scored a run-a-ball 58 with the bat in the first innings and bookended it with a brilliant five-wicket haul in the final, which included the last three scalps. With the stats, she became the first player, man or woman, to score a half-century and take five wickets in a World Cup knockout match. She also became the first to achieve a double of 200-plus runs and 20-plus wickets in a single ODI World Cup edition, Men’s or Women’s, with her tally of 215 runs and 22 wickets (which is also the second best in the tournament history) overall in the tournament. No Indian woman before her had picked five wickets and taken a fifty in the same ODI, while only one Indian man Yuvraj Singh (50 and 5/31 vs Ireland in the 2011 Men’s World Cup) did it in a World Cup game. “Honestly, we still can’t believe this result,” Deepti said receiving her trophy. “It feels like a dream. But very happy I could contribute like this today. We always try to take away positives from the match. Also have to thank the fans, they came in huge numbers today, because they support us in every game. Without them it wouldn’t be possible, thanks to them. As a team we feel so good after this result. I always enjoy whatever department I’m in. Whatever situation I’m in, because I like challenges. Today, I got the same thing that I had a ball in my hand and bat in hand. I had to play according to that situation. And I enjoyed a lot. And what better moment than this to go on stage and perform as an all-rounder for your team. It can’t be more amazing than this,” she added. Before the final, she was fifth in both ICC ODI bowler and all-rounder rankings. It won’t be a surprise if she jumps up to first or second in the latest update.
