India’s victory in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 ended a long wait for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side as they wrote a new viewership record after beating South Africa in the final at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The final was streamed on JioHotstar and drew a record 185 million viewers and matched the viewership of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025 final in the process. 

The official data revealed that the event, which began on September 30, reached 446 million viewers in total and overtook the combined audience of the last three Women’s World Cups. India’s maiden win of the event created a massive history in itself, as the popularity and growth increased among the fan base of the country.

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The final, which was played last Sunday, saw a peak of nearly 21 million as the Harmanpreet-led side became the first Asian side to lift the Women’s World Cup trophy. India’s win over Australia sparked nationwide celebrations, which capped off the campaign with a fair share of highs and lows.

ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final creates new history in digital viewership

In another milestone for that, 92 million viewers watched the final on TV, as the figure has equaled the connected TV viewership of both the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 finals. The numbers display how digital and large-screen streaming has become central to the game.

India crowned the world champions as the focus will now shift to the upcoming 2026 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) next year. While they returned home, all of their players got a warm welcome and loud cheer among the fans, along with several celebratory victory parades.

The players met the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and were welcomed back home with packed crowds and grand ceremonies. If the tournament is to be seen as precedent for what’s to come for the sort, then it can be said that the game would grow again.

Just a few days after leading India to a historic Women's ODI World Cup victory, captain Harmanpreet Kaur celebrated the occasion in a special way. She shared a photo of her new World Cup trophy tattoo on her left arm, which quickly went viral on social media. The tattoo shows how proud she is of the victory and what it means to her and Indian women’s cricket.

Fans were amazed and emotional after seeing the picture. Harmanpreet posted it with the heartfelt caption, "Forever etched in my skin and my heart. Waited for you since Day 1 and now I will see you every morning and be grateful." Her post received a flood of love and praise from fans all over the country.

After the historic victory, players like Harmanpreet and other members of the women's team have been part of numerous interviews and social media posts where they went through the emotional experience of being World Champions. One fun video shared by the BCCI has Harmanpreet recounting some touching memories of her first performing cricket days, which was her initial involvement in the sport.

A Dream Born in Childhood

“Ever since, as a kid, I started getting a sense of what likes and dislikes were, I've always seen a bat in my hand. I still remember we used to play with a bat from my dad's kit bag. The bat was very big,” she said. “One day, my dad cut an old bat of his to make it small for me. We used to play with it. Whenever we used to watch a match on TV, or watch India play, or watch the World Cup, I used to think, I need an opportunity like this. At that time, I didn't even know about women's cricket.”

World Cup on the arms - Harmanpreet Kaur with her new tattoo. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZlOlBAaBWr

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 5, 2025

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For Harmanpreet, that early fascination soon turned into a mission to inspire change in women’s cricket. “I was dreaming, when will I wear this blue jersey? So I think this means a lot to me, a young girl who didn’t know about women’s cricket, but still dreaming that one day, I want to bring that change in our country,” she said. “And I think, it all shows that you should never stop dreaming. You never know where your destiny will take you. You never think, when will it happen, how will it happen. You only think, this will happen.”

Having waited nearly two decades for this glory, Harmanpreet admitted that lifting the trophy as captain was the culmination of a lifelong dream. “Personally, it's a very emotional moment. Because it was my dream since childhood. Ever since I started playing, it was my dream to win the World Cup one day. If I get an opportunity to lead my team, I don’t want to miss this opportunity,” she said, her voice filled with pride and gratitude.

2025 will forever be remembered as the “Year of Breakthroughs”, a time when underdogs rose, curses were broken, and long-suffering fans finally got their fairytale endings. From cricket pitches to football fields, teams that had lived in the shadows found their moment in the sun.

It all began in January when the Hobart Hurricanes stunned Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League final, chasing down a massive total with Mitchell Owen’s breathtaking 108 off 42 balls. From there, the floodgates of redemption opened, culminating in India Women’s historic World Cup triumph in November, their first-ever world title.

The Drought-Enders: A Table of Triumphs

ALSO SEE: 5 legends without whom India Women's could have not win World Cup 2025

Why 2025 Was Magical

Underdog Revolution: Hobart, Palace, and RCB, once symbols of heartbreak, finally became champions. Even PSG, long mocked for failing in Europe, delivered a flawless 5-0 rout in the Champions League final.

Personal Redemption: Harry Kane ended the “trophyless” jibes with a Bundesliga crown. Virat Kohli’s emotional “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” moment united Bengaluru like never before.

Records & Legacy: Deepti Sharma’s all-round heroics redefined the Women’s World Cup, while Aiden Markram’s hundred buried South Africa’s “chokers” tag.

From Geordie roars to Indian tears of joy, 2025 healed sporting hearts worldwide, proof that perseverance always pays off.

Only a few Indian captains have the fortune to win the ICC World Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur is one of them. The Indian women's cricket team won the title after defeating the South African women's cricket team. During the group stage, when India was struggling to maintain their momentum, losing multiple matches, Kaur had to face a lot of criticism. But she remained firm on her duties, and her team remained strong with their skipper as well. As a result, the glory moment was winning the ICC ODI World Cup 2025. 

After years of hard work, Kaur deserves to be in the seventh sky. Throughout her cricketing career at the highest level, she emerged as one of the richest woman cricketers in the nation. But how rich is Kaur actually? What is her net worth? Through this article, we will try to find some more personal details of the skipper after achieving the historic feat. 

Who could have thought that Shafali Verma was destined to be one of the main protagonists behind the India Women's team's historic feat in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025? From the bench to leading the team to glory, Varma turned out to be the most surprising inclusion for the team. In the final match against the South Africa Women's team (IND-W vs SA-W), the opener scored 87 against 78 deliveries and set the tone for registering a competitive total on the scoreboard. Batting first, India put 298 runs in the first innings, which proved more than enough to outperform their opposition team. 

The 21-year-old top-order batter not only scored runs during the batting work but also clinched a couple of wickets as well. Surprisingly, it was only her second match of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025. Despite being an emerging talent, Varma already has the reputation of an attacking batter. 

Team India and Australia will face each other in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 semifinal in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, October 30. The match promises to be a true David vs Goliath battle between two teams with very different World Cup histories.

India’s Struggles and Australia’s Dominance

The Women in Blue have struggled at times under the pressure of playing in front of home fans. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side won only three of their six completed matches in the league stage, just managing to reach the semifinal. On the other hand, Australia have been in top form, winning all six of their matches to finish first on the points table.

What makes it tougher for India is that Australia usually play their best cricket in knockout matches. The seven-time world champions also defeated India in their group-stage meeting at Visakhapatnam.

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Still, despite the odds, Team India has reasons to believe they can upset Australia and move one step closer to their first-ever World Cup title. With that in mind, here are three key reasons why India could beat Australia in the 2025 Women’s World Cup semifinal.

A spot at the #CWC25 Final on the line 🤝

Don't miss #INDvAUS! Broadcast details here 👉 https://t.co/MNSEqhJP29 pic.twitter.com/DeDJO564Nn

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) October 30, 2025

3 Reasons Why India Can Beat Australia in the Women’s World Cup 2025 Semifinal

1. India Has Dominated Long Phases in Recent ODIs Against Australia

Even though Australia has a stronger overall record, India can take confidence from their recent ODI meetings. The Women in Blue ended Australia’s eight-match winning streak in the home series before the World Cup.

While Australia won three of the last four ODIs, India controlled long parts of those matches. In the first ODI, India scored an impressive 281/7 but lost due to poor bowling and fielding. In the second ODI, they bounced back strongly, scoring 292 and bowling out Australia for 190 to win by 102 runs.

The final match was another close battle, with Australia posting 412 and India replying with 369. Even in their World Cup league match, India scored 330 runs, but Australia chased it down in the 49th over with three wickets remaining.

With one win and two close losses in their last three meetings, India can believe they have what it takes to challenge and defeat the mighty Aussies in the semifinal.

2. History Could Repeat Itself

India has often struggled against Australia in big matches, but history shows they can pull off upsets. The last time these two teams met in an ODI World Cup semifinal, India defeated Australia in a memorable game at Derby.

In that 2017 semifinal, Harmanpreet Kaur smashed an iconic 171 off 115 balls to guide India to 281/4 in a rain-shortened match. The Indian bowlers then bowled out Australia for 245 to reach the final.

Now, eight years later, the situation is similar. Harmanpreet is once again leading India, and the team will hope history repeats itself on home soil.

3. The DY Patil Stadium Could Favour India

The semifinal venue, DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, might just give India an edge. Unlike the high-scoring pitches where Australia usually dominates, this surface has supported bowlers—especially spinners.

In the three matches played here so far, totals have been low and spinners have done well. India’s spinners, like Shree Charani and Radha Yadav, have already performed brilliantly at this venue, sharing five wickets for just 53 runs in a match against Bangladesh.

If the pitch again helps spin, India’s strong batting and quality spinners could trouble Australia and give the hosts their best chance to make it to the final.

AUS-W vs IND-W 2nd Semi-Final Match Preview:

The second semi-final match of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 will feature India Women's and Australia Women's teams. The India Women’s team has made it to the Semi-Final by defeating NZ-W. The India Women's team have a golden opportunity to win this crucial encounter.

On the other hand, the Australian Women's team has been the most dominant side in the tournament, having won all their league matches, with one match abandoned. Australia Women's team defeated South Africa Women by 7 wickets in their last league match. All their key players are in good form, and they are on the verge of creating history once again. Partika Raval's injury is a big blow for the Indian women's team. Shefali Verma will replace him in this mega contest. Both teams will enter the field to cement their place in the final. 

AUS-W vs IND-W Recent Performance:

AUS-W vs IND-W ICC Women's World Cup, 2025 Match Details:

• Series/Tournament: ICC Women's World Cup, 2025
• Match: AUS-W vs IND-W Match 2nd Semi-Final
• Date: 30 Oct. 2025
• Match Start Time: 3:00 PM IST
• Stadium/Venue: Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai, India 
• Live Score: cricketwinner.com
• Live Streaming: Jio Hotstar, Star Sports

AUS-W vs IND-W Head-to-Head Stats:

(Last 10 Matches)

AUS-W vs IND-W Pitch & Weather Report:

The weather report for the second semi-final is good. The temperature is likely to reach around  28.5°C. Based on previous games, the average score at this venue ranges between 255 and 280 runs. The pitch offers good assistance to Pace, suggesting a High-scoring encounter

Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai, India Stats: 

Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai, India, pitch favours the batters. Winning the toss and opting to bat first will be a wise decision on this surface.      

AUS-W vs IND-W Dream11 Prediction Playing 11

Australia Women (AUS-W) Probable 11:  1. Alyssa Healy, 2. Phoebe Litchfield, 3. Ellyse Perry, 4. Beth Mooney(WK), 5. Annabel Sutherland, 6. Ashleigh Gardner, 7. Tahila McGrath(C), 8. Sophie Molineux, 9. Alana King, 10. Kim Garth, 11. Megan Schutt

India Women (IND-W) Probable 11: 1. Shefali Verma, 2. Smriti Mandhana, 3. Harleen Deol, 4. Jemimah Rodrigues, 5. Harmanpreet Kaur(C), 6. Deepti Sharma, 7. Richa Ghos (WK), 8. Amanjot Kaur, 9. Radha Yadav, 10. NR-Shree Charani, 11. Renuka Singh

AUS-W vs IND-W- Top Picks from Australia Women

AUS-W vs IND-W- Top Picks from Australia Women

Cricket Winner Player’s Insight:

Ashleigh Gardner (AUS-W) is the 2nd highest run scorer for AUS-W. She has scored 265 runs and also taken 7 wickets.

Annabel Sutherland (AUS-W) has been a consistent performer for Australia Women. She took 15 wickets and scored 114 runs in this tournament.

Smriti Mandhana (IND-W) is an inform batter for IND-W. He has scored 365 runs with an average of 60.83. She has good records against the Australian women.

Deepti Sharma (IND-W) could prove to be a game-changer for the IND-W side in this match. She is the highest wicket-taker for IND-W.

AUS-W vs IND-W Captain & Vice-Captain Choices:

AUS-W vs IND-W Fantasy Team Suggestion: 

AUS-W vs IND-W Dream11 Prediction Expert Advice 

AUS-W vs IND-W Dream11 Prediction Probable Winners:

AUS-W is likely to win this match. In head-to-head stats, the Australia Women's team dominated the India Women by winning 9 out of 10 matches. Additionally, AUS-W is currently in excellent form, winning five matches in a row.  

AUS-W vs IND-W 2nd Semi-Final FAQ

Who is likely to win the AUS-W vs IND-W match today?

Australia Women (AUS-W) is expected to win this match.

Who is ahead in head-to-head stats?    

Australia Women is ahead (9-1).

Who are the top fantasy picks for the AUS-W vs IND-W Dream11 team?

Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and Alyssa Healy

What is the pitch report for this match?

The surface is flat and excellent for batters, and we can expect an average score range between 255 and 280 runs.

A must-win match for the India women's team as they take on the New Zealand women's team (IND-W vs NZ-W) for the ICC Women's World Cup 2026 Match number 24 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. For this game, the toss can take a vital role to conclude the match. 

The pitch of the ground is expected to be a balanced surface, with elements for both batting and bowling sides. Spinners can be very useful, and batters may get opportunities to make a good amount of runs. For the pacers, the new ball can be their main weapon. 

In the tournament, India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, lacked consistency. Ahead of the competition, the team was in promising form, but under pressure, the batting lineup misfired. More than an individual performance, Women in Blue have to perform as a unit to win today's match and confirm a ticket to the next round. Whereas a win for the New Zealand cricket unit will make them favorites to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

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Toss: 

NZ-W won the toss and decided to bowl first. 

"We are going to have a bowl first today. The surface won't change much, and hopefully it can get better under lights; dew will also come in. We have been training exceptionally hard, and a couple of extra sessions won't change much. This is the moment all cricketers want to be playing, a pressure game, playing India in India," Sophie Devine, New Zealand Women's team captain, said. 

Playing XIs: 

New Zealand Women—Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (C), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze (WK), Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, and Eden Carson.

India Women—Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana (C), Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues (in for Amanjot Kaur), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, and Renuka Singh Thakur.

he two most in-form batters of the year in women’s ODIs before the ICC Women’s World Cup were Smriti Mandhana and Tazmin Brits. Both had already scored four centuries each in 2025.

While Mandhana had two chances to improve her record — in Guwahati against Sri Lanka and in Colombo against Pakistan — she missed out. On the other hand, South Africa’s Brits broke the record on Monday in Indore against New Zealand. She became the first player ever to score five centuries in a calendar year in women’s ODIs. The previous record was held by Mandhana, with four centuries in both 2024 and 2025.

Brits has changed South African cricket by becoming the first woman to score five tons in a year. Her journey to the top was not easy. She was a former World Junior Athletics Championships bronze medallist in javelin and also met the qualification mark for the 2012 London Olympics.

However, she faced a terrible accident while driving to celebrate her achievement. Looking at her phone while driving caused a crash. She suffered multiple pelvic fractures, a burst bladder, and internal bleeding.

With the help of her parents, physiotherapists, and psychologists, Brits made a near-miraculous recovery. After a year of treatment, she began walking again.

In this article, we will share her journey, the reason behind this celebration, and more.

Also Read -South Africa star gets massive reward in ICC ranking during ICC Women's World Cup 2025

Tazmin Brits Shines in Stunning World Cup Turnaround

After being bowled out for just 69 in Guwahati and losing to England by 10 wickets, South Africa made a stunning comeback. Led by Laura Wolvaardt, they chased 232 in 40.5 overs, bringing their World Cup campaign back on track.

Brits, a former javelin thrower who won bronze at the 2010 World U20 Championships with a best throw of 54.55m, had her Olympic dream crushed after a car accident in November 2011. Despite suffering multiple pelvic fractures, a burst bladder, and internal injuries, she made a remarkable recovery. Today, the Olympic rings tattooed on her right bicep were visible as she celebrated her 7th ODI century.

Brits continued throwing javelin until 2018 but has become one of South Africa’s top batters in white-ball cricket. On Monday, she became the fastest player to reach seven ODI centuries, achieving the milestone in just 41 innings and breaking Meg Lanning’s record of 44 innings.

“It feels great. I’m glad we could pull this one through. We needed it after the first game. I’m not one for records, but beating Meg Lanning is nice. As long as we are winning, I’m happy,” Brits said.

- Won Gold Medal in 2007 World Youth Championship in Javelin throw.
- Won Bronze Medal in 2010 World Championship in Javelin throw.
- Now Part of South Africa team.
- 4 Hundreds in last 5 ODI innings.

THE JAVELIN CELEBRATIONS FROM TAZMIN BRITS..!!!! 🫡🙌pic.twitter.com/ljCuMcAdi4

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) October 7, 2025

Record-Breaking Year for Brits

While she started her cricket career slowly with low strike rates, Brits has improved steadily:

2021: Average 27.33, Strike Rate 52.22

2022: Average 16.33, Strike Rate 55.05

2023: Average 33.22, Strike Rate 87.94

2024: Average 27.55, Strike Rate 72.51

2025: Average 83.22, Strike Rate 96.14

Brits said, “I’m just backing myself more now. I’m staying positive and working on my batting. Batting camps helped a lot. I’m trying to be more than one-dimensional. In this chase, I just focused on middling the balls. Also, I used a new bat today; I think it’s lucky.”

Earlier in the day, Sophie Devine scored a fluent half-century, but South Africa fought back with Nonkululeko Mlaba taking four wickets to restrict New Zealand to 231.

Brits’ signature celebrations have become famous. She usually does a ballerina pose for her dad and teammate Masabata Klaas’s 13-year-old daughter. On Monday, she celebrated differently, going down on one knee like an archer and pointing to her teammates.

“I always do a ballerina for my dad at 50. Today, two 13-year-old girls from South Africa and Australia asked me to do this celebration for them,” she said.

Breaking Smriti Mandhana’s Record

Previously, Smriti Mandhana held the record with four centuries in a calendar year (2024 and 2025). Brits’ fifth century pushed her past Mandhana, making her the first woman to achieve five centuries in a single year in ODIs.

Brits also became the fastest player to reach seven ODI centuries, doing so in just 41 innings, breaking Meg Lanning’s record of 44 innings.

Unprecedented! What a year Tazmin Brits is having 🔥 #CWC25 pic.twitter.com/KhLYN3Zz0Q

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 6, 2025

Consistent Form in 2025

Throughout 2025, Brits has shown exceptional consistency and adaptability. She rotates strike well and builds partnerships, making her South Africa’s most reliable top-order batter. Each innings shows maturity, smart shot selection, and confidence, turning her into a match-winner.

In the World Cup match against New Zealand, South Africa’s bowlers, led by Mlaba, restricted the White Ferns to 231. Brits anchored the chase with her century, guiding her team to victory and securing a place among the top five teams in the World Cup standings. She was awarded Player of the Match, capping a memorable day for South African cricket.

The second innings of the IND-W vs PAK-W clash during the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was full of controversy. Muneeba Ali, wrapped on the pads, kept the bat on the ground but lifted later when Deepti Sharma made a direct throw as the umpires ruled the batter out. It led to the captain, Fatima Sana, crying at the boundary line.

“Muneeba's run-out issue has already been settled, I believe. I'd rather not discuss it further at this time. Whatever happened and whatever the situation was, I think it has been resolved.” In the post-match press conference, Pakistan pacer, Diana Baig, revealed that, as the ICC 30.1.1 states- “A batter shall be considered to be out of his/her ground unless some part of his/her person or bat is grounded behind the popping crease at that end.”

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The Law 30.1.2 has also added- “However, a batter shall not be considered to be out of his/her ground if, in running or diving towards his/her ground and beyond, and having grounded some part of his/her person or bat beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of contact between the ground and any part of his/her person or bat, or between the bat and person.”

Media reactions from IND-W vs PAK-W clash post ICC Women’s World Cup 2025

On the other hand, India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, lauded their all-round performance after their dominating 88-run win as it was India’s 12th consecutive win over the Pakistan side in men’s and women’s cricket.

“Very happy, important win. Our bowling was great, and Kranti was outstanding. Renuka helped her. We created so many chances, dropped some. But the win makes us happy. It wasn't easy to bat on; we wanted to bat long and see how much we got.” Harmanpreet Kaur expressed during the press conference.

“It's been raining, and there was a hold on the pitch. We wanted to keep wickets in hand; Richa then gave us 30 crucial runs. Just want to go with the momentum when we go back to India. We know how the pitches are there, hope to work our combinations.” The Indian captain concluded.