"I Have Cried Almost Every Day": Jemimah Rodrigues' Emotional Journey to Women's World Cup Glory

Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues broke down with overwhelming emotion after playing the knock of her lifetime—an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls—that guided India to a record-breaking five-wicket victory over defending champions Australia in the Women's World Cup 2025 semifinal at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Her innings, marked by composure under intense pressure and unwavering belief, powered India to a historic 341/5, chasing down Australia's imposing 338—the highest successful chase in women's ODI history and the first 300-plus chase in any World Cup knockout across both men's and women's competitions.

A Journey Through Pain to Triumph

In a raw, emotional interview shortly after the victory, Jemimah opened up about the mental and emotional toll of her journey to this defining moment.

"I want to thank Jesus. I couldn't do this on my own. I want to thank my mom, dad, coach, and every single person who believed in me," Jemimah said, her voice trembling with emotion. "It was really hard this last month. It feels like a dream, and it still hasn't sunk in."

The batter then revealed the depth of her struggle during the tournament: "I've cried almost every day through this tour. I wasn't doing well mentally. I was going through anxiety."

The Unexpected 3rd Position

When asked about her decision to bat at No. 3, Jemimah provided insight into the pressure and uncertainty she faced: "I didn't know I was batting at three. I was taking a shower, and they just told me they'd let me know. Five minutes before walking in, I was told I was batting at three."

Rather than focusing on her personal milestones, Jemimah emphasized her singular focus on the team's objective: "It's not about me. I wanted to win this match for India and take it through, having lost crunch matches before. Today wasn't about my fifty or my hundred. It was about making India win."

Faith and Resilience as Her Anchor

Throughout her interview, Jemimah attributed her remarkable composure and mental strength to her deep faith in Jesus Christ. She spoke about quoting Bible verses during the critical moments of the innings:

"Everything that happened so far was a setup for this. Things kept happening back-to-back, and I couldn't control anything. I knew I had to show up, and God took care of everything. Initially, I was just playing and kept talking to myself. Towards the end, I was quoting a scripture from the Bible—to just stand still and that God will fight for me. I just stood there, and He fought for me."

As Amanjot Kaur struck the winning boundary to seal India's entry into the final, Jemimah couldn't contain her emotions. The emotional release captured the journey from anxiety and self-doubt to triumph and vindication.

A Collective Effort, Not Individual Glory

Importantly, Jemimah was gracious in sharing credit with her teammates and the crowd, refusing to accept singular praise for India's victory:

"When Harmanpreet came, it was all about one good partnership. Towards the end, I was trying to push myself but wasn't able to. Deepti spoke to me every ball and kept encouraging me. When I couldn't carry on, my teammates encouraged me. I can't take credit for anything—I didn't do anything on my own."

She further emphasized the role of the home crowd: "Each and every member who chanted, cheered, and believed—for every run they were cheering—that pumped me up. That kept me going in those tough moments."

Redemption and Fairy-Tale Narrative

Jemimah's story represents one of sport's most poignant redemption arcs. At the beginning of the tournament, the 25-year-old had managed just 65 runs across four innings, including two ducks, and was even benched for the group match against England. Few would have imagined that this same player would produce the match-winning knock in the World Cup semifinal.

A Historical Partnership

Her 127 was anchored by a crucial 167-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (89 off 88 balls). This partnership became:

India's highest in any Women's World Cup knockout match

The highest partnership against Australia in tournament history

The partnership that broke Australia's 15-match World Cup winning streak, which had lasted since their 2022 title win

A Strategic Masterpiece

In a post-match analysis, Jemimah revealed that she had assessed Australia's 338 as slightly short of what they could have scored given their explosive start: "When we saw this score, the team's thought was that we had scored 341 against New Zealand in 49 overs and 333 against Australia in Visakhapatnam. I felt that with the way Australia started, they were 30 runs short. So, I just knew that all I needed to do was stay there because the runs would come, but I needed to be there to get those runs."

The Setup for Sunday's Final

Jemimah's performance has positioned India not just for the Women's World Cup final against South Africa on Sunday, N"I Have Cried Almost Every Day": Jemimah Rodrigues' Emotional Journey to Women's World Cup Gloryovember 2, but also as genuine contenders for the trophy. Her century was her first in World Cup cricket, yet it came in the most pressure-filled situation imaginable—the semifinal of a home World Cup against the defending champions.

The emotional depth of her victory interview, combined with her composed batting display, paints a picture of a player who has overcome significant mental hurdles to perform on sport's biggest stage. Whether India can go on to lift their first-ever Women's ODI World Cup title will depend on many factors, but what's certain is that Jemimah Rodrigues' journey—from tears to triumph—will remain etched in cricket history forever.