Ro-Ko heaps praise on Women in Blue for semifinal win against Australia
India’s Women in Blue stunned seven-time champions Australia by five wickets in the ODI World Cup semi-final, led by Jemimah Rodrigues’ 127. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma praised the team. India will face South Africa in the final to claim their first Women’s World Cup title.
In a thrilling semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, India’s Women in Blue produced a historic performance as they defeated seven-time champions Australia by five wickets to book their place in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final for only the third time. They previously played in the final in 2005 and 2017 and finished second behind Australia and England respectively.
Jemimah Rodrigues continues to lead
The chase was led by Jemimah Rodrigues, who ably racked up 127 off 134 balls under immense pressure and guided India to a record 341/5. The score was the second-highest score for a successful run chase in Women’s ODI history, after India’s score of 369 against Australia last month. Remarkably, this is the first time in ODI World Cup history, men’s or women’s, that a total of more than 300 has been successfully chased in a knockout match. The previous highest was New Zealand’s score of 298 against South Africa in the 2015 Men’s World Cup semi-final.
Applause to the team from RO-KO
The victory received huge praise from Indian cricket icons. Former skipper Virat Kohli praised the team X and described their efforts as ‘a true display of resilience, belief and passion’. Kohli particularly emphasized that Rodrigues’ magnificent innings was a match-defining performance.
The victory of our team against such a strong opponent as Australia. A great chase by the girls and a standout performance from Jemimah in a big match. A true display of endurance, belief and passion. Well done, Team India!
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) 31 October 2025
Rohit Sharma also joined the chorus of appreciation on Instagram to cheer on the team. “Well done Team India,” he wrote in celebration on social media.
The team will face South Africa in the World Cup final
Host India is preparing to face South Africa in the final on Sunday. South Africa will appear in the Women’s World Cup final for the first time, ensuring they become the tournament’s first champions. Rising with the confidence of their semi-final victory, India will eventually aim to lift the coveted trophy and claim their first Women’s World Cup title.
