Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 3 : Deepti Sharma produced a sensational all-round performance to guide India to their first-ever Women's World Cup title, defeating South Africa in the final in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. The all-rounder was named the Player of the Tournament after scoring a vital 215 runs and taking 22 wickets, playing a decisive role with both bat and ball.
Deepti's innings in the final came at a crucial stage when India needed stability in the middle overs. Her composed 58 anchored the innings and helped the team post a competitive total before she turned the match on its head with the ball, dismantling South Africa's batting lineup in the chase, as she finished with 5/39 in 9.3 overs.
With her incredible consistency throughout the tournament, Deepti became the first player in Women's World Cup history to achieve the double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single edition across men's and women's World Cups. Across nine matches and seven innings, she scored 215 runs at an average of 30.71 and a strike rate of 90.71, including three half-centuries, with a highest score of 58. She was equally brilliant with the ball, finishing as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets at an average of 24.11 and best bowling figures of 5/39.
Deepti also broke several records along the way. She now holds the record for the most wickets by an Indian in a single Women's World Cup, surpassing Shubhangi Kulkarni's 20 wickets in the 1981-82 edition and Neetu David's 20 wickets in the 2005 World Cup. She also became the first Indian to claim a five-wicket haul in a Women's World Cup final.
Overall, Deepti's performances have placed her among India's greatest bowlers in World Cup history. She is now the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Women's World Cup matches with 36 wickets, behind only Jhulan Goswami, who leads with 43. Diana Edulji follows with 31 wickets, while Neetu David and Purnima Rau each have 30.
South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. A century partnership between Smriti Mandhana (45 in 58 balls, with eight fours) and Shafali Verma kick-started things for India, followed by another 62-run stand between Shafali (87 in 78 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Jemimah Rodrigues (24 in 37 balls, with a four). India was at a fine platform of 166/2.
A 52-run stand between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20 in 29 balls, with two fours) and Deepti Sharma took India beyond the 200-run mark. A final flourish by Deepti (58 in 58 balls, with three fours and a six) and Richa Ghosh (34 in 24 balls, with three fours and two sixes) helped India reach 298/7 in their 50 overs.
Ayabonga Khaka (3/58) was the leading wicket-taker for SA.
During the run-chase, a fifty-run stand started things for SA, with Tazmin Brits (23 in 35 balls, with two fours and a six) being the first victim. Eventually, despite skipper Laura Wolvaardt's dominance, the golden arms of Shafali Verma (2/36) and Shree Charani reduced SA to 148/5.
Wolvaardt had a 61-run stand for the sixth-wicket with Annerie Dercksen (37 in 35 balls, with a four and two sixes), which slowly started to rebuild pressure on India.
Wolvaardt (101 in 98 balls, with 11 fours and a six) continued her red-hot form, bringing up her century after having registered 169 against England in semifinal just a few days back. However, a game-changing spell from Deepti removed both set batters and had Proteas struggling at 221/8. She became the first Indian woman with a WC final four-fer. Deepti (5/39) eventually managed to convert it into a fiver, as India made history to win their maiden WC title by bundling out South Africa for 246 runs.