Please watch the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup final

 "You're best off building a death ray and hoping that will somehow fly with the ICC playing regulations. Good luck!"

That’s how Alan Gardner of ESPNCricinfo concluded his piece when discussing India’s chances against Australia in the semi-final of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, speaking throughout the article that only a "miracle" can get India across the line and into the World Cup final.

Honestly, neither I nor anyone else would blame him for saying that. Australia entered the knockouts unbeaten, conquering every team in the competition (barring Sri Lanka, thanks to the rain gods), including India — chasing down a record 331 as if it were just another day at the office. Any opponent often is David to Australia’s Goliath.

And when Australia put up 338 on the board in the semi-final — meaning India would have to break Australia’s own record from just 18 days earlier — India truly needed the “miracle” Gardner mentioned in his preview. But wouldn’t you know it, that miracle came in the form of Jemimah Rodrigues.

Usually a happy-go-lucky character, Jemimah is one of the most positive figures in this Indian team. The 25-year-old has a bright future ahead, but recently, she’d hit a rough patch. A duck in the opening game and later being dropped from the XI — it visibly affected her. She got a golden opportunity to prove herself against New Zealand in the group stage, and she seized it spectacularly with an unbeaten 76, securing India’s fourth-place finish and a spot in the semis.

That, however, was just the beginning. Jemimah unleashed everything she had to produce a glorious 127* against Australia, defying all odds and sending India to the World Cup final. Yet through all 134 deliveries, there was no visible excitement, no elation — only quiet whispers to herself. It was her first ton against the Aussies, but there was no celebration, not even a raise of the bat. Her eyes were fixed on one thing: victory.

The first emotion she expressed came when Amanjot Kaur hit the winning boundary to seal India’s place in the final. Jemimah collapsed to the floor in cinematic fashion, bursting into tears — the loudest sigh of relief imaginable.

The post-match presentation that followed was one of the most beautiful and raw reactions you could possibly imagine. Media training went right out the window. Jemimah spoke haltingly, lost for words, overflowing with gratitude. She thanked God, her parents, and her team — refusing to dwell on her own performance, focusing only on what it meant for India. She reflected briefly on the struggles of the past few weeks and how desperately she’d needed this. Not a single sentence came without a teardrop, and it was more than enough to make anyone watching misty-eyed too.

Much like Jemimah, there’s no need to reflect on the performance — only the miracle. A miracle born from a belief India has never shown before. A belief that stood tall against all odds, and now, that belief is mere days away from being fulfilled.

So I’ll conclude with a plea. You may not care about cricket. You may not be Indian. But I urge you to tune in to the World Cup final between India and South Africa on Sunday, November 2nd. From a neutral’s perspective alone, you couldn’t ask for anything better. We will witness a nation winning the Women’s World Cup for the first time ever. Both teams have been plagued by heartbreak and bad luck at international tournaments — and one of them has a chance to break that hoodoo on Sunday.

On top of that, be prepared to see a sold-out DY Patil Stadium. It was already a sea of blue against Australia, but for the final, there won’t be a single empty seat in the 45,300-capacity arena.

For India, this is more than a cricket match. The women’s game has long fought for space, for respect, for parity. A win may not transform perceptions overnight, but it will mark a seismic step forward.

So, come Sunday, the country will watch. And perhaps, on Monday morning, the world will finally speak of India’s women not as hopefuls or nearly-theres, but as champions!

Come on, India 🇮🇳!