On This Day: India won its first Women’s ODI World Cup after beating South Africa

November 2, 2026

Reflecting on a historic milestone for Indian cricket, exactly one year has passed since the national women's squad secured their inaugural fifty-over world championship. Facing off against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium, the victorious side defended a target of 299 by restricting their opponents and sealing a 52-run triumph.

Former skipper Harmanpreet Kaur secured the final breakthrough by catching Nadine de Klerk during the forty-sixth over, capping off an unforgettable campaign that earned the country its first major international trophy in the format.

Individual brilliance drove the championship-winning performance, with Shafali Verma named player of the match after contributing an 87-run knock from 78 deliveries alongside two crucial bowling dismissals. All-rounder Deepti Sharma collected the player of the tournament accolade following a stellar tournament campaign yielding 215 runs and 22 wickets.

Meanwhile, South Africa's pursuit was anchored by Laura Wolvaardt, though disciplined Indian bowling restricted rival batters including Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, and Marizanne Kapp to ensure the trophy remained with the hosts.