Jemimah Rodrigues spent most of October worrying about whether she would even play. On Wednesday night in Navi Mumbai she walked off unbeaten on 127, having just carried India to the highest successful chase in women’s one-day cricket – 339 – and into a World Cup final. No wonder she kept saying it felt “like a dream”.
India slipped to 21 for 2 before the right-hander walked in at No. 3 – a position she only learned about “five minutes” beforehand. From there she batted 134 deliveries, shared 167 with Harmanpreet Kaur and, with nine balls left, watched the winning boundary glide past backward point. India won by five wickets. Australia, the holders, were out.
“Today was not about my 50 or my 100, today was just about making India win,” she said, voice cracking, afterwards. “I knew I got a few chances, but I just felt God scripted everything. I believe if you do the right things, with right intentions, he always blesses. I feel everything that happened was just a set-up for this.”
Key facts first, then the messy bits: Australia’s 338 for 6 looked plenty on a ground that tends to slow in the evening. Alyssa Healy’s 104 off 99 and Beth Mooney’s 77 gave the visitors the sort of platform they normally protect. India had never hunted down anything bigger than 290. The openers fell early. The crowd went quiet.
But Rodrigues, lighter frame than most, refused to get stuck. Her driving through extra cover was crisp, the dab to third shortly after drinks downright cheeky. Harmanpreet matched her stride for stride – 86 off 82 – before holing out. By then the required rate was under seven and seven wickets remained.
The innings was fuelled, in part, by a turbulent month. “Last year, I was dropped from this World Cup. This year I came in, I thought OK, I’ll try. But things back-to-back just happened and I couldn’t control anything,” she admitted. “I almost cried every day through this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety.”
She even thought she would bat lower. “I thought I was going to bat at No. 5. I was taking a shower and when the discussion was happening, I told them ‘let me know.’ Just five minutes before entering I learnt I would be at No. 3.”
Those nerves played out visibly. Between singles she talked to herself, swatted imaginary flies, checked her grip twice. “Initially I was just playing, talking to myself. But towards the end, I was quoting a scripture from the Bible because I had lost energy and I was very tired. I was drained. But the scripture says ‘just stand still, and God will fight for you.’ And that’s what I did. He fought for me.”
Technically, it was a measured knock. She waited on the slower balls, picked gaps rather than clearing ropes – only five fours and two sixes in her first 100 runs – and trusted partners. “When Harry di came, all we spoke about was one good partnership,” she explained. “Towards the end, I told Deepti ‘keep talking to me’, she kept encouraging me. When Richa came, she lifted me up.”
The decisive moment arguably arrived in the 46th over: 13 off Jess Jonassen, including a lofted drive that split long-off and long-on. The ask dropped to 17 from 24, and Australia never clawed it back. They used seven bowlers, changed ends, set sweeper after sweeper, nothing worked.
Former opener turned commentator Anjum Chopra called it “a chase that will change how teams approach 50-over cricket”, while ex-coach WV Raman simply said, “Jemimah showed the art of pacing.”
Numbers bear that out. India scored at 6.78 an over, yet only 46 boundaries came. The running between wickets – 120 singles, 24 twos – sucked the life out of the Australian attack, fielders committing minor fumbles under lights that refused to switch off.
At the presentation Harmanpreet drew the focus back to her No. 3. “People talk about power-hitters; sometimes you need someone who can bat 45 overs.”
Rodrigues allowed herself one last flash of emotion. “It was hard but I tried to stay calm till the ball finished. At the end, when I saw ‘India win by five wickets’ I couldn’t stop myself.” She did not elaborate – maybe she didn’t need to.
India, battered by semi-final exits in 2017 and 2022, now meet either England or South Africa in Sunday’s final. They will start as favourites but Rodrigues knows enough not to plan too far ahead. For one night at least the anxiety is parked. The “dream” can linger a little longer.
