India’s Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues Console South Africa Stars After World Cup Final Defeat

As India erupted in celebration after clinching their maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa on November 2, 2025, at DY Patil Stadium, the most enduring image was not the trophy lift but the quiet humanity that followed. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, faces still flushed with triumph, left their teammates’ huddle to seek out the shattered South African players. Mandhana wrapped an arm around a sobbing Laura Wolvaardt, the Proteas captain who had fought a lone battle with 101, while Rodrigues pulled Marizanne Kapp into a long embrace, joined by Radha Yadav. The ICC’s viral video of these moments—viewed over 50 million times within hours—captured a rare stillness amid the chaos of victory, earning universal praise for sportsmanship that transcended borders.

The gesture carried extra weight given the players’ shared history. Kapp, Rodrigues, and Yadav are Delhi Capitals teammates in the Women’s Premier League, their club camaraderie forged in dugouts and nets now spilling into international empathy. Mandhana, who had earlier built a 104-run opening stand with Shafali Verma before falling for 45, approached Wolvaardt not as a defeated rival but as a peer who had carried her team through a rollercoaster campaign. “I just told her how proud she should be,” Mandhana later shared. “We’ve both been in that position—close, but not quite. It hurts.” The exchange, brief but profound, reflected the growing sisterhood in women’s cricket, where off-field bonds soften the sting of on-field defeat.

South Africa’s journey to the final had been one of resilience. After humiliating collapses against Australia—69 all out and 97 all out—they rebounded with clinical wins, including a semi-final upset over the defending champions. Wolvaardt, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 169 against England in the semis, admitted the final loss stung deeply. “Brilliant cricket throughout, but outplayed today,” she said, voice cracking. “We were either really good or really bad, but thankfully more of the really good.” Her century, the second in consecutive finals, underscored her growth as a leader who learnt to separate captaincy pressure from batting instinct: “It’s just another game of cricket.”

Also Read: Amol Mazumdar: India Women’s Team Coach Who Turned Heartbreak into World Cup Triumph

The match itself was a study in contrasts. India, powered by Shafali Verma’s explosive 87 and Deepti Sharma’s 5 for 39, posted 298 for 7 after a rain-delayed start. South Africa’s chase faltered at 246 despite Wolvaardt’s defiance, with Kapp’s late flurry unable to bridge the gap. Yet, as the Proteas sat in silence, the Indian players’ actions spoke louder than the scoreline. Harmanpreet Kaur, after handing the trophy to retiring legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, joined the consolations, telling Kapp, “This isn’t the end—it’s fuel.” The moment echoed the 2003 men’s final, when Sourav Ganguly consoled Adam Gilchrist, but with a uniquely feminine warmth.

Social media erupted in admiration. “This is why women’s cricket is winning hearts,” wrote one fan, while another called it “the real trophy moment.” The ICC’s caption—“Rivals on the field, sisters off it”—became a global hashtag. For India, the win ended an 18-year ICC drought in white-ball cricket; for South Africa, it was another near-miss after 2005 and 2017. But the consolations offered hope: Wolvaardt vowed growth, and Kapp spoke of pride. As fireworks lit the Navi Mumbai sky, the night belonged not just to the victors but to the game itself—proving that true greatness lies in lifting others, even in defeat.

In an era of fierce rivalries and viral trash talk, Mandhana and Rodrigues reminded the world why cricket endures. Their gesture, small in scale but vast in impact, became the final’s defining legacy—a quiet revolution in sportsmanship that will inspire generations long after the trophy’s shine fades.

Also Read: “God Sent Me Here To Do Something Nice”: Shafali Verma on India’s World Cup Glory