India vs SA: Wonder Women! A look at India’s 2025 World Cup heroes

With the spotlight firmly connected them astatine home, India’s women cricketers scripted a singular travel during the 2025 ODI World Cup, blending resilience, flair and corporate resolve.

Surviving aboriginal setbacks and mounting pressure, the squad captured the nation’s imaginativeness done record-breaking chases, melodramatic comebacks and standout idiosyncratic brilliance. Each squad subordinate — from seasoned stars to inspiring newcomers — played a important relation successful a run that promises to redefine the aboriginal of Indian women’s cricket. A little look astatine what each subordinate brought to the table.

SMRITI MANDHANA

India’s vice-captain and premier opener, Smriti has been the backbone of the batting lineup successful the World Cup. With a period against New Zealand and swashbuckling fifties against Australia and England, she’s been accordant and classy. In the semifinal, she became lone the 2nd Indian pistillate to people 1000 ODI runs against Australia, joining Mithali Raj successful an elite club. She continues to beryllium India’s astir dependable run-getter.

A seasoned of implicit a decennary successful planetary cricket, Smriti managed to equilibrium aggression with stableness during the World Cup.

JEMIMAH RODRIGUES

The Mumbai miss scripted 1 of the top World Cup knocks with an unbeaten 127 successful the semifinal against Australia, anchoring India’s grounds pursuit of 339. Dropped earlier successful the tournament, she returned with grit and grace, forming a 167-run basal with Harmanpreet Kaur. Her travel — from playing thoroughfare cricket to nationalist stardom — is marked by resilience, religion and flair.

A erstwhile U-17 hockey player, Jemimah’s calm nether unit and quality to find gaps made her India’s astir reliable middle-order batter.

HARLEEN DEOL

Born successful Chandigarh and raised successful Himachal, Harleen’s cricketing travel began by pursuing her brother. Known for her stylish strokeplay, she was a accordant contributor successful India’s World Cup campaign. Her 46 vs Pakistan and 48 vs Sri Lanka helped stabilize India’s apical order. A viral sensation for her gravity-defying drawback successful 2021, Harleen brings flair and finesse.

PRATIKA RAWAL

A science postgraduate from Jesus & Mary College successful Delhi, Pratika’s emergence has been meteoric. A erstwhile hoops golden medallist, she became the joint-fastest Indian to transverse 1000 ODI runs and scored a important maiden World Cup period against New Zealand. Pratika’s temperament and method impressed 1 and all. Unfortunately, an ankle wounded ruled her retired earlier the semifinal against Australia, but her interaction connected India’s run was profound.

AMANJOT KAUR

Daughter of a carpenter/woodwork contractor, Amanjot played hockey, shot and handball increasing up earlier going connected to absorption connected cricket. A precocious bloomer, she made her ODI debut successful 2023 and rapidly became India’s situation specialist. Her 57 vs Sri Lanka and match-winning boundaries successful the semifinal against Australia showcased her composure. Her quality to decorativeness games and vessel choky spells made her a captious cog successful India’s World Cup machine.

DEEPTI SHARMA

India’s rotation allrounder and tactical lynchpin, Deepti finished arsenic the highest wicket-taker successful the World Cup. She besides became the 2nd Indian pistillate to scope 150 ODI wickets. She joined an elite nine of players with implicit 2000 runs and 150 wickets successful women’s ODIs. A left-handed batter and off-spinner who hails from Agra, Deepti’s calmness and power has anchored India Women successful the middleovers. From a middleclass family, her emergence progressive overcoming societal barriers, often grooming unsocial astatine dawn.

RICHA GHOSH (WICKETKEEPER)

Hailing from Siliguri, West Bengal, the fearless wicketkeeper-batter lit up the World Cup with a blistering 94 vs South Africa. which made her a instrumentality favorite. With a vocation strike-rate of much than 103, Richa is India’s designated finisher. A U-19 World Cup victor and WPL champion, her 26 disconnected 16 balls successful the semifinal, including 2 monolithic sixes, were matchturning moments.

HARMANPREET KAUR (CAPTAIN)

India’s person and affectional anchor, Harmanpreet delivered a stirring 89 successful the semifinal against Australia, battling cramps and pressure.

Her leadership, forged done heartbreaks successful 2017 and 2022, matured into calm authorization this clip astatine India’s location World Cup. A trailblazer from Moga, Punjab, Harmanpreet’s assertive benignant shaped India’s fearless brand. Her intensity, motivational beingness and quality to rally from 3 consecutive defeats transformed India’s campaign.

SHREE CHARANI

From Erramalle colony successful Andhra Pradesh, Shree Charani emerged arsenic India’s rotation revelation during the World Cup.

A left-arm orthodox, her power and maturity nether unit impressed 1 and all. Her middle-overs stranglehold curbed absorption batting line-ups. She besides showcased weapon fielding skills. Shree Charani’s emergence was fueled by her mother’s content and her uncle’s support.

UMA CHETRY (WICKETKEEPER)

Hailing from Bokakhat, Assam, Uma became the 2nd pistillate from her authorities to play ODIs for India, debuting successful the World Cup lucifer against Bangladesh.

A gritty wicketkeeper-batter, she roseate done Assam’s home ranks, often walking miles to practice. Her crisp mitt enactment and quiescent determination earned her a WPL declaration and nationalist call-up. Though she didn’t diagnostic prominently during the World Cup, her travel symbolizes the expanding scope of Indian women’s cricket.

SNEH RANA

From Dehradun’s hills to World Cup glory, off-spinner Sneh Rana’s travel is 1 of resilience.

After a career-threatening genu wounded successful 2016, she returned to go 1 of India’s astir reliable spin-bowling allrounders. Her calm demeanor and tactical bowling choked rival line-ups. Her 33 with the bat against SA, and 2/38 vs Pak proved vital.

ARUNDHATI REDDY

She was conscionable 12 erstwhile she started playing cricket. Seeing her enthusiasm, Arundhati’s mother, a erstwhile volleyball player, enrolled her successful a cricket academy. A erstwhile wicketkeeping aspirant, she was nudged into gait bowling.

Her vigor and plaything with the caller shot added assortment to India’s attack.

KRANTI GAUD

The youngest of six from a household successful Ghuwara, a tiny municipality successful Bundelkhand, Kranti’s emergence has been spectacular. A tennis-ball cricket prodigy, she made her ODI debut successful May 2025 and successful her 4th lucifer stunned England with 6/52 astatine Chester-leStreet. Her 3/20 successful the high-voltage lucifer against Pakistan earned her the Player of the Match.

RENUKA SINGH

Hailing from Rohru, Himachal Pradesh, Renuka’s plaything and subject made her India’s gait spearhead. In the World Cup, her aboriginal breakthroughs vs New Zealand and Bangladesh acceptable the tone. Renuka’s inswing and calm demeanour reflector her idol Jhulan Goswami. After a accent fracture successful 2024, her comeback communicative showcased a never-say-die attitude.

SHAFALI VERMA

A prodigy from Rohtak, Shafali, who debuted for India astatine the property of 15, was initially not picked successful India’s 15-member squad. The wounded to Pratika Rawal during India’s past league signifier lucifer paved the mode for her recall. In the semifinal against Australia, she started connected a agleam note. In the final, she deed a classy 87. It was redemption time.

RADHA YADAV

Born successful a humble household successful Mumbai, wherever her begetter utilized to merchantability vegetables, Radha’s travel is 1 of grit and grace. A left-arm spinner known for her fielding brilliance, she played her archetypal lucifer of the World Cup successful India’s last league signifier crippled against Bangladesh, claiming 3/30. In the semifinal, she got the captious wicket of Australia’s talisman Ellyse Perry.