Know the champions: Meet the team that won India's first-ever Women's World Cup title

The Indian women’s cricket team created history in Navi Mumbai on Sunday by winning their first-ever ICC title - the 2025 ODI World Cup. India defeated fellow finalists South Africa, who were also chasing their maiden ICC crown, by a commanding margin of 52 runs. Shafali Verma , a late inclusion in the squad as an injury replacement ahead of the semifinal against Australia, turned out to be the game-changer in the title clash.

Shafali, who was named Player of the Match, delivered a stunning all-round performance to help India realise their long-cherished World Cup dream. After being sent in to bat first, the 21-year-old smashed a blistering 87 off 78 balls and later picked up two crucial wickets just when South Africa were starting to look comfortable in their chase of 299. Deepti Sharma also produced a brilliant all-round display, scoring a composed half-century and taking a five-wicket haul. Her consistent performances throughout the tournament earned her the Player of the Series award.

Crucial contributions from Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur , and Jemimah Rodrigues also helped India post a formidable total in the final. In reply, South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, played the knock of her life to keep her team in the contest. She became the first player ever to score a century in a Women’s World Cup final. However, with wickets falling regularly at the other end against India’s relentless spin attack, the Proteas fell short in their chase.

With this triumph, India lifted their maiden Women’s World Cup title, a historic achievement thanks to an all-round team effort. From skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership to the brilliance of all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma, every member of the 16-player squad contributed to ending India’s long wait for an ICC title. And every player has had their fair share of struggles before reaching the pinnacle. We bring you a brief of their path to glory.

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain)

The 36-year-old from Punjab made her white-ball debut in 2009 but first earned global recognition a few years later after scoring her maiden ODI century in a World Cup game against England at home. Her career-best knock of 171 not out came against Australia in the semifinal of the 2017 Women’s World Cup, helping India reach the final that year. Following Mithali Raj’s retirement, Harmanpreet took over as India’s captain across formats. She led India to the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup against Australia and has now become the first woman cricketer to captain India to a World Cup title.

Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain)

The 29-year-old from Maharashtra began playing cricket after watching her elder brother compete at the state level. She was selected for the Maharashtra state team at just nine and made her international debut for India at 16. Mandhana was part of the Indian team that reached the finals of the 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2020 T20 World Cup. On Sunday, she surpassed Mithali Raj’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a single World Cup edition , finishing with 434 runs in nine innings after scoring 45 in the final. Mandhana played a pivotal role in India’s maiden ICC title triumph.

Deepti Sharma

The 28-year-old from Uttar Pradesh first gained international attention in 2016 when she became the youngest player - male or female - to take a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket. Since then, she has grown into one of India’s most dependable all-rounders, known for her accuracy with the ball and crucial lower-order contributions with the bat. Deepti was instrumental in India’s historic World Cup victory, finishing as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps and scoring 215 runs.

Shafali Verma

The 21-year-old from Haryana became the youngest woman to play a T20I for India in 2019 and, on Sunday night, became the youngest player, male or female, to score a half-century in an ODI World Cup final. She had earlier played a key role in India’s run to the 2020 T20 World Cup final. Although not part of the original ODI World Cup squad, Shafali was drafted in as an injury replacement and made an immediate impact. After failing in the semifinal against Australia, she rose to the occasion in the final when it mattered most.

Jemimah Rodrigues

The 25-year-old from Mumbai was already playing Under-19 cricket at the age of 13. She made her India debut in 2018 and quickly established herself as a dependable batter across formats. Jemimah struck a brilliant century in the semifinal against Australia to take India into the 2025 World Cup final. She added a valuable 24 runs in the summit clash against South Africa and had earlier scored a crucial half-century in the must-win group game against New Zealand.

Amanjot Kaur

The 25-year-old all-rounder from Punjab made her international debut in 2023 and quickly became an important member of the lower middle order in white-ball cricket. In the 2025 World Cup, Amanjot played a few useful cameos, including a half-century in the opening game against Sri Lanka and a 15 not out in the semifinal against Australia. She also picked up six wickets in the tournament.

Richa Ghosh

The 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from West Bengal is one of the most aggressive players in the Indian team. Known for her fearless hitting, she has been compared to many of the best finishers in the men’s game. Richa played an important role in India’s World Cup campaign with her quick runs in the final overs. Her 34 not out off 24 balls in the final gave India the late boost they needed to reach 298. She was also sharp behind the stumps throughout the tournament.

Radha Yadav

The left-arm spinner from Maharashtra has been part of India’s setup for several years and is known for her ability to take wickets in the middle overs. The 25-year-old did not play all the matches in the 2025 World Cup, but performed well after she got an opportunity. Radha’s spell of 3 for 3 against Bangladesh in the group stage was one of her best bowling figures.

Renuka Thakur

The 29-year-old pacer from Himachal Pradesh has become India’s main new-ball bowler in recent years. Renuka provided India with early breakthroughs in several games of the 2025 World Cup, including two against New Zealand in the must-win group stage game.

Kranti Gaud

The 22-year-old from Madhya Pradesh is one of the newest faces in the Indian team. Kranti made her India debut this year and went on to play the World Cup, taking 9 wickets in 8 matches. Her spell of 3 for 20 against Pakistan in the league stage showed her promise.

Sree Charani

The 21-year-old from Andhra Pradesh contributed well with the ball whenever given the chance. In the 2025 World Cup, Sree played a key role in the bowling lineup, taking 14 wickets in 9 matches. Her best figure of 3/41 came against Australia in the group stage.

Pratika Rawal

The 25-year-old from Delhi is a young batter who impressed in domestic cricket before earning her India call-up. Pratika started the tournament well and even scored a half-century against Australia in the group stage. She made a crucial 122 against New Zealand in a must-win game before the knockouts. However, she suffered an injury against Bangladesh and was ruled out for the rest of the tournament, with Shafali joining in her place.

Harleen Deol

The 27-year-old from Punjab is an elegant middle-order batter and one of India’s best fielders. She has been part of the Indian team for several years. In the World Cup, Harleen chipped in with handy knocks in the middle order in the first few matches, including a 46 against Pakistan.

Uma Chetry

The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Assam served as the backup keeper in the squad. She got to keep for a while when Richa sustained an injury against New Zealand in the group stage and also got her maiden ODI cap against Bangladesh in the same tournament.

Sneh Rana

The 31-year-old from Uttarakhand has been one of India’s most consistent performers in recent years. In the 2025 World Cup, she bowled tight spells in the middle overs and picked up important wickets. She also contributed crucial runs with the bat in a couple of matches.

Arundhati Reddy

The 28-year-old bowler from Hyderabad did not play a single game in the tournament, but she did take a catch in the match against Bangladesh after Pratika Rawal was subbed off due to an injury.