NAVI MUMBAI, 3 November (H.S.): The Indian women's cricket team etched their names in history on Sunday, defeating South Africa by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium to clinch their first-ever ICC Women's ODI World Cup title. The monumental victory makes India only the fourth nation, after Australia, England, and New Zealand, to win the 50-over World Cup, and it was achieved through a series of record-breaking performances that redefined excellence in the sport.

Here are some of the incredible records set by Team India during their historic campaign:

Smriti Mandhana's Batting Masterclass

434 runs: Smriti Mandhana became India's highest run-scorer in a single World Cup edition, surpassing Mithali Raj's record of 409 runs set in 2017.

5,000 ODI Runs: She became the second Indian woman to cross the 5,000-run mark in ODIs, achieving the milestone as the fastest (112 innings) and youngest (29 years) Indian to do so.

1,000-Run Year: Mandhana became the first player in the world to score 1,000 runs in a single calendar year.

Dominance Against Australia: She also became the second Indian to score 1,000 runs against Australia, and the fastest to do so in just 21 innings.

Team India's Unprecedented Feats

Record Chase: In the semi-final against Australia, India achieved the highest successful run-chase in women's ODI history, chasing down a mammoth target of 339. This was the first-ever successful 300+ run-chase in a knockout match of any ODI World Cup, men's or women's.

Ending Australia's Streak: India's semi-final victory ended Australia's formidable 15-match unbeaten streak in World Cups, handing them their first loss in the tournament since 2017.

Monumental Partnerships: The tournament saw record-breaking partnerships, including a 167-run stand between Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur against Australia—the highest for any wicket against them in World Cup history.

Earlier, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal set a new record for India's highest World Cup opening partnership with 212 runs against New Zealand.

The All-Round Brilliance of Deepti SharmaLeading Wicket-Taker: Deepti Sharma finished with 22 wickets, the most by an Indian bowler in a single World Cup edition.

Ultimate All-Rounder: She became the first cricketer in history (men's or women's) to score over 200 runs and take more than 20 wickets in a single World Cup.

Knockout Heroics: With her 58 runs and 5/39 figures in the final, Deepti became the first cricketer ever to score a fifty and take a five-wicket haul in a World Cup knockout match.

Richa Ghosh's Lower-Order Firepower

Record Innings: Richa Ghosh's explosive 94 against South Africa became the highest-ever score by a player batting at number 8 or lower in a women's ODI.

Wicketkeeper's Best: It was also the highest score by an Indian wicketkeeper in a World Cup match.

Smriti's consistency, Deepti's all-round genius, and Richa's fearless batting turned this World Cup from a dream into a reality for India. This victory is not just a trophy but the dawn of a new, golden era for women's cricket in the nation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar