Following India’s historic Women’s Cricket World Cup victory over South Africa, Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain has reflected on a triumph that could turn them into an “unstoppable force”.
It was a maiden World Cup victory for India and one that many believe could bring seismic change in the sport.
After Shafali Verma top-scored with 87 off 78 balls as India posted 298-7 after losing the toss and being made to bat at the DY Patil Stadium, they managed to dismiss South Africa for 246 despite a brilliant display with the bat from their captain Laura Wolvaardt (101).
Hussain had said throughout the tournament that an India win could alter the landscape of the sport and following their sensational semi-final victory over Australia, they were on the precipice.
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Nasser Hussain reflects on India’s sensational victory over South Africa in the Women’s Cricket World Cup final
Now, the marked change in the sport is a reality.
“Every other Women’s World Cup has either featured England or Australia, or both, so I think it is great for the game that we have a new winner,” Hussain said.
“The sleeping giant that is Indian women’s cricket is well and truly awake and they could be an unstoppable force.”
How did India pull of their victory?
There are many elements that go into a victory, but for Hussain, India have been building towards this moment with the form of the players, crowd, and growth of the WPL all playing their part.
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Harmanpreet Kaur took a brilliant catch to see her side become Cricket World Cup champions
“It was going in that direction already with the WPL and the way this cricket team have played over the last couple of years. They just needed this evening, this tournament, to put a little seal on that deal.
“The crowd have been magnificent and the team have been magnificent. They had that little blip in the middle of the tournament, but they started well and they’ve ended well. In the end, they just had too many players in form compared to South Africa.
“If you look through that Indian line-up, there were a lot of players in pretty good nick by the end of the tournament. Unfortunately for South Africa, especially with the bat, they relied heavily on one or two, and that’s why they had to play the extra batter.
“Fair play to South Africa, they played a lot of good cricket themselves. India were just too good, as we’ve seen in this part of the world – men or women and in any format – they’re a very difficult side to beat.”
‘Living the dream’: From injury sub to star
One of the stand out stories from the final was Verma who came in part way through this tournament as an injury substitution for Pratika Rawal after initially being left out.
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Watch as South Africa drop two vital players and India run rampant in the Women’s Cricket World Cup final
In the final, not only did she put in a brilliant 87 with the bat, the part-time bowler claimed two wickets to complete her redemption arc.
“She started [her career] in an incredible way. She burst on the scene, she was smashing everyone and she had this sort of care-free attitude that you do have as a youngster,” continued Hussain.
“Then she got found out a little bit – especially by the short ball – opening the batting. People went at her with the short ball and, in this format, she had to be left out.
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Nadine de Klerk and Deepti Sharma painfully collided as the South African bowler leapt to take the wicket of Amanjot Kaur
“Then Pratika Rawal had that injury and she came back in and I thought it was a bit of a gamble to actually pick her in a semi-final and then in a final, but she played brilliantly.
“She batted brilliantly and it was a bit of genius to bowl her as well. I don’t know where that came from, but they bowled her and she was outstanding. A really good selection and really good for her to come back into it and play the way that she has.”
India impress under pressure
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Australia captain Alyssa Healy dropped a sitter in Navi Mumbai, giving a life to Jemimah Rodrigues on 82 as the World Cup holders were dumped out in the semi-finals
It was the particulars of India’s team that proved the difference in the final, Deepti Sharma showing her class once again with a 58 with the bat and a stunning 5-39 with the ball.
They learned from the pressures of losing three-in-a-row in the group stages and handled the pressure to come out on top despite the noise around them.
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Jemimah Rodrigues gave a moving interview after she helped India reach the ICC Women’s World Cup final, with 127 runs against Australia
“They pretty much have every base covered. They’ve got good quality seam, they’ve got good quality spin, they are backed up and I mean Jemima Rodrigues sets the tone in the field diving around.
“I thought they handled pressure well. Everyone talks about the pressure coming here for South Africa and handling this cauldron, but actually as a home side, as various Indian sides have found out, you’re under pressure.
“You lose this and you go very quickly from hero to zero in this part of the world and you’ll get vilified tomorrow. For these women it would be losing another final, so that was a massive moment – especially for Harmanpreet Kaur.
“When they lost those three games in the middle, a few questions were being asked about Harmanpreet’s captaincy, so to see her go off and take that catch and run off with a team behind her was massive.”
