From Hat-Trick Heartbreak to Historic Triumph: How India Women Stunned Australia to Storm into World Cup Final

A rollercoaster journey of resilience, records, and raw emotion – Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur’s epic stand rewrites women’s ODI history as India chases down 339 for a maiden final shot against South Africa

Navi Mumbai, October 31, 2025 – In a tale straight out of a sporting fairy tale, the Indian women’s cricket team has scripted one of its most unforgettable chapters. From the brink of a humiliating group-stage exit after three straight defeats to pulling off the greatest run-chase in women’s ODI history, India stunned seven-time champions Australia by five wickets in the Women’s World Cup semifinal at DY Patil Stadium. Chasing a mammoth 339 – the second-highest total in a World Cup knockout – Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 127 and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s 89 powered a 167-run partnership that shattered records and Australia’s 16-match unbeaten streak in ODIs. With nine balls to spare, Amanjot Kaur’s boundary sealed a victory that guarantees a first-time champion in the final against South Africa on November 2. But how did India flip the script? Here’s the explainer breaking down the dramatic turnaround.

The Rock-Bottom Start: Hat-Trick of Losses and Semifinal Peril

The tournament kicked off promisingly for Harmanpreet’s side, but momentum soon evaporated. After cruising past minnows Sri Lanka (by 58 runs in Guwahati, with Deepti Sharma’s all-round 50 and 3-41 earning Player of the Match) and arch-rivals Pakistan (88-run thrashing in Colombo, where pacer Kranti Gaud’s 3 wickets silenced the spinners), India hit a wall.

South Africa inflicted the first blow in Visakhapatnam, chasing down 252 with three wickets and seven balls in hand, thanks to Nadine de Klerk’s 84 and Chloe Tryon’s 49 – despite Richa Ghosh’s valiant 94 pulling India from 102-6. Worse was to come: Defending champions Australia, unbeaten in the tournament, gunned down India’s 330 in Visakhapatnam with six balls left, led by Alyssa Healy’s century – the highest successful chase in the tournament at that point.

The hat-trick arrived in Indore against England, where Heather Knight’s ton helped set 288, and India fell agonizingly short by four runs despite fifties from three batters, including a near-miss from Ghosh. With New Zealand looming and elimination staring them down, India were 2-2, their title defense (as 2022 runners-up) hanging by a thread.

The Spark of Revival: Mandhana-Pratika Double Tons Ignite Hope

Desperation fueled brilliance in Navi Mumbai against New Zealand. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal smashed centuries, with Jemimah Rodrigues’ fifty pushing India to a tournament-high 340 – their best World Cup score. New Zealand crumbled to 271, and Mandhana’s 100 plus three catches clinched Player of the Match honors. This 69-run win punched India’s semifinal ticket, while the final group game against Bangladesh was washed out. Suddenly, the team that had forgotten how to win remembered – and entered the knockouts as underdogs against an Australia that hadn’t lost a World Cup match since 2017.

Semifinal Showdown: Australia’s Powerplay, India’s Epic Counter

Australia, with six wins from seven (one no-result), won the toss and batted on a batsman-friendly red-soil pitch offering true bounce. Healy fell early for 12, but opener Phoebe Litchfield’s maiden World Cup 119 and Ellyse Perry’s 77 forged a century stand. Ashleigh Gardner’s blistering 63 off 38 balls (including fireworks in the death) hauled Australia to 338-7 – the fourth-highest in India-Australia women’s ODIs and second in World Cup knockouts.

India’s chase began disastrously: Shafali Verma (10) and Mandhana (24) perished in the powerplay, leaving them at 59-2 after 10 overs – needing 280 off 40 with Kim Garth’s two strikes. Enter Rodrigues at No. 4 and captain Kaur at No. 3. What followed was a masterclass in composure: Their 167-run stand (off 156 balls) was India’s highest for the third wicket in World Cups, eclipsing the 137-run Kaur-Deepti effort from 2017’s semifinal.

### The Chase Unfolds: Drama, Drops, and Defiance

Rodrigues, dropped thrice (on 83 by Healy, LBW review survival on 89, and 107 by Tahlia McGrath), battled cramps and fatigue – even collapsing once while avoiding a run-out – to reach her maiden World Cup ton off 121 balls. Kaur, aggressive yet anchored, raced to 89 off 88 (eight fours, two sixes) before holing out to Gardner off Annabel Sutherland in the 36th over, with victory still 113 away.

Deepti Sharma (24 off 17) and Ghosh (26 off 16, with two fours and two sixes) injected momentum, but both fell pushing the scoring rate. With 29 needed off 24 balls, Rodrigues – muscles seizing – hobbled on, supported by Amanjot Kaur (15*). In the 49th, Sutherland’s over yielded 15 (including a scoop four and wide extras), setting up the finale. Sophie Molineux’s 50th over: Kaur’s cover four, two runs, and then her short ball – slashed by Amanjot for the winning boundary. India finished on 341-5, rewriting history as the first 300+ chase in a World Cup knockout (men’s or women’s) and the highest ever in women’s ODIs.

Post-match, Rodrigues broke down in tears, hugging family in the stands and crediting her parents and coach Ivan. Kaur, eyes welling, called it “unbelievable” – echoing the 2017 semifinal where her 171 had ousted Australia, only for a nine-run final loss to England.

What It Means: Legacy, Records, and Final Stakes

This isn’t just a win; it’s redemption. India snapped Australia’s 16-match ODI World Cup streak, their first defeat since 2017, and avenged the group-stage loss. Rodrigues joins Mandhana as centurions, while the team’s third final appearance (after 2005 and 2017 losses) pits them against South Africa – who staged their own comeback, thrashing England by 125 runs in the first semi after an opening 10-wicket drubbing.

On November 2 at DY Patil, a new champion emerges: India’s quest for a maiden title or South Africa’s first-ever shot. For a side that turned hat-trick despair into historic glory, the script is wide open – but if this semifinal is a preview, expect more tears, triumphs, and timeless cricket.