New Delhi, 03 November (H.S.): The Indian women’s cricket team ended its decades-long wait for a World Cup title on November 2, 2025, when it lifted the Women’s ODI World Cup for the first time in history. Marking the first anniversary of the landmark achievement, India players Pratika Rawal and Shafali Verma revisited some of their most memorable experiences from the tournament during JioStar’s special programme, ‘Celebrating the Champions’.

Rawal recounted the remarkable coincidence of scoring a century against Zimbabwe on the same date on which she had also reached three figures during the 2025 Women’s World Cup. She also reflected on the difficult period following the injury she sustained against Bangladesh, which forced her to withdraw from the tournament. Verma, meanwhile, spoke about being unexpectedly drafted into the Indian squad midway through the competition.

Indian batter Pratika Rawal shared the interesting story behind her century in the opening match of the ODI series against Zimbabwe on October 23. She recalled that, just as she was preparing to walk out to bat, highlights of India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup match against New Zealand were being shown on television. A date mentioned during the broadcast reminded her that she had scored a century in the World Cup on the same day.

“I was discussing it with Smriti Didi and Amol Sir (the coach). At that very moment, we decided to recreate the achievement. I subsequently scored a century against Zimbabwe. Scoring another hundred on the same date was an extremely special experience for me,” Rawal said.

Rawal also opened up about the injury she sustained during the match against Bangladesh and the emotional challenge of being ruled out of the World Cup. Recalling the incident, she said, “When I fell during the match against Bangladesh, I immediately sensed that something was wrong. I understand my body well, and the impact of the injury did not feel normal. An X-ray later confirmed a fracture, bringing my World Cup campaign to an end.”

She described being injured midway through the World Cup as deeply distressing. However, watching the Indian team progress to the semi-finals and eventually win the final proved to be a memorable experience. Rawal said she watched the semi-final from her hotel room alongside her father and prayed for the team's victory. Although it was an emotionally challenging period for her, the support of those around her gave her strength.

Verma, meanwhile, recalled receiving the news of her selection for the Indian team midway through the 2025 Women's World Cup. At the time, she was representing Haryana in a state-level cricket match.

“I was playing a match for Haryana when I suddenly received a call from the national team's manager. He informed me that I had been selected for the remaining matches of the World Cup. I could hardly believe it,” Verma said.

She explained that she had stayed away from social media during that period and was not following the World Cup matches closely, as her attention was entirely focused on her game.

Verma described her selection as the culmination of a year's hard work. She said her teammates welcomed her warmly, after which she attended net sessions to adapt to the conditions and regain her rhythm. Consistent performances in domestic cricket had also helped strengthen her confidence, she added.

India defeated South Africa by 52 runs on November 2, 2025, to clinch its maiden ICC Women's ODI World Cup title, bringing a historic chapter in Indian women's cricket to a triumphant close.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar