Tears to triumph. Jemimah Rodrigues' arc couldn’t be more cinematic. The player India dropped from the 2022 World Cup squad has now powered the Women in Blue into the ODI World Cup final, capping one of the most compelling comebacks in recent memory.
A chase that rewrote history
Set 339 in a World Cup semifinal against Australia, the most dominant side in women’s cricket, India didn’t blink. This wasn’t just a win; it was a landmark. The chase became the highest successful pursuit in Women’s ODI history and the first-ever 300-plus chase in a World Cup knockout across men’s and women’s events. Australia, unbeaten in 15 World Cup games since 2017, finally fell, fittingly, to India again.
The turning point: No. 3 and total belief
Jemimah’s road back wasn’t smooth. She returned to the XI post the 2022 World Cup debacle and soon became a senior pro in the side. But even then, this World Cup began brutally: 2 ducks in first 3 games, and then she was dropped for the England match. When India faced a must-win vs New Zealand, she was brought back into the XI, promoted to No. 3 and answered with a serene, unbeaten 76 off 55, setting up a total of 340 and restoring belief.
In the semifinal, she was listed at No. 5, until a late call, minutes before walking out, moved her to No. 3 again. The message was clear: trust the game, trust the moment. What followed was composure under fire and a chase that will live in highlight reels for years.
Courage behind the class
Jemimah has been candid about what came before: the anxiety, the doubts, the phone calls home when nothing felt right. That honesty gives this story its heartbeat. It reminds us that elite sport isn’t a straight line, sometimes it’s two steps back before the surge forward.
One more chapter to write
India now enter their third Women’s ODI World Cup final after runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2017. The stage is set to turn history into hardware. Whatever happens next, this run has already given Indian sport a signature moment: proof that resilience, smart calls, and fearless batting can bend even the toughest matches India’s way. From being left out to leading on, Jemimah Rodrigues has shown what redemption really looks like.
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