In a spectacle that will echo through Indian cricket lore, Jemimah Rodrigues orchestrated a masterclass of resilience and audacity at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on October 30, 2025, as India stunned seven-time champions Australia by five wickets in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup semifinal. Chasing a daunting 339—the highest target ever pursued in a women's ODI knockout—Rodrigues remained unbeaten on 127 from 134 balls, laced with 14 boundaries, to etch her name in history. This triumph, completed with nine balls to spare, not only demolished Australia's 16-match unbeaten streak in World Cups but also guaranteed a first-time winner in the tournament, with India set to clash against South Africa in Sunday's final. Rodrigues, who pocketed the Player of the Match award, reflected post-match: "After seeing the Aussies score, I knew we could chase it down—they were 30 runs short of their potential."

Australia's innings, after winning the toss and batting first, flickered with promise before India's bowlers scripted a gritty fightback. Skipper Alyssa Healy fell early for a duck, but opener Phoebe Litchfield's blistering 119 off 93 balls (17 fours, three sixes) and Ellyse Perry's composed 77 off 88 (six fours, two sixes) forged a 155-run second-wicket alliance that threatened to bury India. However, the hosts clawed back dramatically, with Shree Charani (2/49) and Deepti Sharma (2/73) leading the charge to slump Australia to 265/6. A late flourish from Ash Gardner (63 off 45, four fours, four sixes) and Kim Garth (17) propelled the total to 338 in 49.5 overs, but Rodrigues later dissected it astutely: "Given the start they got, they were 30 runs short on this pitch—DY Patil makes any score chaseable." Amanjot Kaur, Kranti Goud, and Radha Yadav chipped in with a wicket apiece, setting a tantalizing stage for the reply.

India's chase erupted into early turmoil at 59/2 after 10 overs, with openers Shafali Verma (10) and Smriti Mandhana (24 off 24, two fours, one six) perishing to Garth's swing. Enter Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who stitched a pivotal 167-run third-wicket stand—Harmanpreet's 89 off 88 (10 fours, two sixes) blending aggression with anchor duty. Rodrigues credited Harman's dismissal as a "blessing in disguise": "I was losing focus from tiredness, but her wicket added responsibility—I thought, 'She's out, I'll score for her.' That refocused me; I started playing sensibly." Recalling prior high-scoring exploits—like 341 against New Zealand in 49 overs and 333 versus Australia in Vizag—Rodrigues affirmed her belief: "My thought was simple: just be there, because the runs will come if I'm at the crease."

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The closing stages brimmed with cameos that sealed the fairy tale. Richa Ghosh's explosive 26 off 16 (two fours, two sixes) injected momentum, while Amanjot Kaur's unbeaten 15 off eight (two fours) culminated in a boundary that sparked pandemonium. Rodrigues, drawing from a turbulent tournament arc—65 runs in four innings, two ducks, and a mid-stage drop against England—hailed the knock as "very special." "From being dropped last World Cup, to zeros here, a promising start I couldn't convert, then another drop—things got worse," she shared emotionally. "But I focused on team wins, not proving points. Doing this in front of my family, team, and Navi Mumbai crowd? Overwhelming. And I'm saving one more for the finals."

This victory catapults India into their third World Cup final (after 2005 and 2017 runner-up finishes), shattering the semifinal hoodoo against Australia and igniting dreams of a maiden title. Rodrigues joins Nat Sciver-Brunt as only the second woman to score a century in a World Cup knockout chase, her eighth ton against Australia underscoring a personal jinx-breaker. As the hosts bask in the glow of rewriting records—the first 300-plus knockout chase across genders—Harmanpreet Kaur urged brevity in celebrations: eyes fixed on Sunday's showdown. For Rodrigues and India, this isn't just redemption; it's revolution.

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