Batting with bravado! Jemimah Rodrigues 'smashes' her way into World Cup final

In a breathtaking display of skill, determination and raw emotion, 25-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues scripted history as India stormed into the ICC World Cup final with a nail-biting win over Australia. The semifinal clash at the DY Patil Stadium was a defining moment for Rodrigues, who overcame her struggles with anxiety and self-doubt leading Indian team into the ICC World Cup final — with distinction.

The semifinal against Australia was nothing less than a ‘rebirth’ for the middle-order batter.

Rodrigues' journey to the final was far from smooth sailing. The young cricketer had been battling acute anxiety in recent months, often finding herself in tears and struggling to cope with the pressure. "Last few months were not good, quite struggling for me. I was facing acute anxiety. I cried almost every day...I would end up crying while talking to my mother. I was not scoring runs, getting dropped from the squad, there was a huge fear...all this was pushing me back," she revealed, fighting back tears.

Despite her struggles, Rodrigues found solace in her teammates, who stood by her through thick and thin. "Thanks to my teammates. They knew what I was going through, they would just sit with me and talk to me. I knew why they were doing this, but it kept me sailing," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

As she walked out to bat at No. 3, Rodrigues was unaware of her role in the team. "I was not aware about batting at three. I was taking a shower and just told them to let me know. Five minutes before walking in, I was told I was batting at three. It's not about me, I wanted to win this match for India and take it through. I didn’t even have proper food before coming out to bat," she revealed.

Rodrigues' innings was a masterclass in composure and skill. She dived at every corner of the ground to save runs, batted exceptionally well till the end, and cried heavily to vent out her anxiety. Her partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur was crucial in taking India closer to the target, and when Harmanpreet got out, Rodrigues took on the responsibility of guiding the team to victory.

Harmanpreet’s dismissal a blessing in disguise

"Harmanpreet’s dismissal came as a blessing in disguise for me, as at that point I was kind of losing my focus because of my tiredness. But when she got out, I think that added more responsibility to me. I need to be here, and I’ll score for her. I think that again got me in the right zone. Then I started just sensibly playing, despite tackling the pressure," Rodrigues said, reflecting on her innings.

As India celebrated their historic win, Rodrigues broke down in tears, overcome with emotion. Her father, Ivan Rodrigues, a junior coach who had played a pivotal role in her cricketing journey, was in the stands, beaming with pride. "I knew, I had to show up, God took care of everything. I talked to myself while batting, and towards the end, I was just quoting a scripture from the Bible - to just stand still and that God will fight for me. I know, I am God’s blessed one," she said.

Her past to present

Even before taking up cricket, local girl Jemimah was already excelling in a number of sports. She represented Maharashtra in U-17 field hockey and even played football and basketball. It was a tough choice for her to leave hockey for cricket but the fact that she was selected in the U-19 state cricket team. She made her T20 international debut for India in February 2018, and her ODI debut was in March the same year. In 2017, she scored an unbeaten 202 in a U-19 women’s one-day match against Saurashtra, becoming only the second Indian woman to hit a domestic double hundred.

Yesterday, playing at home turf proved to be another advantage for her and playing in front of her father Ivan Rodrigues, who was a junior coach. She grew up bowling to her brothers, coached by her father and rose up to the ranks of best batter of the 2025 World Cup event. It was a moment to celebrate for the family as well exactly after a year of a controversy.

The 2024 controversy

In October 2024, the Khar Gymkhana hit an unexpected controversy, when they revoked the honorary membership of Jemimah after alleged complaints against her father for using the club’s premises to host unauthorised religious gatherings. To be precise, it was on October 20, 2024, during the club’s annual general meeting, when several members raised objections about a series of events organised at the club’s presidential hall. The controversy came to light when a staff member alerted the former club president. The honorary membership was granted to Jemimah in recognition of her achievements as an international cricketer and revocation was one of the rare instances involving a celebrated sportsperson.

Determination, resilience paid off

Rodrigues' journey to this moment has been nothing short of remarkable. From being dropped from the 2021 World Cup squad to making way for an additional bowling option against England, she has faced her fair share of setbacks. However, her determination and resilience have paid off, and she has emerged as one of the most important players in the Indian team. As India prepares to take on the best teams in the world in the World Cup final, Rodrigues will be a force to reckon with.