There cannot have been a dry eye in the house.
Player of the Match Jemimah Rodrigues was weeping and so, surely, was anyone watching the diminutive India batter’s interview.
Her stunning 127 not out off 134 balls – dubbed “an innings of a lifetime” by Ian Bishop on commentary – had just led her nation to a five-wicket victory over defending champions and seven-time winners Australia in Navi Mumbai and into a home World Cup final.
The emotion was etched all over her face.
Rodrigues spoke candidly about dealing with anxiety and bouncing back from being dropped by India earlier in the World Cup
Rodrigues declared it “a dream” while speaking in the immediate aftermath of India completing a record chase of 339 in women’s ODIs.
And that dream would have felt like ever such a distant one for the 25-year-old after India’s group-stage defeat to England – a game the home side really threw away – made it three losses in a row, following previous disappointments against Australia and a South Africa side they will now meet again in Sunday’s final, live on Sky Sports.
Rodrigues had been dropped against England as India went in with the extra bowler, a huge blow for the batter, and one she detailed as she spoke candidly about that selection call and battling anxiety.
Her response to her axing, which had followed two ducks in her first four games at the World Cup – one versus Sri Lanka, another against South Africa – has been tremendous, with 76 not out against New Zealand and now this gem of a ton versus Australia.
But there have been some dark times.
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Highlights from India’s Rodrigues-inspired five-wicket win over Australia in the World Cup semi-finals
She said: “Things back-to-back kept happening and I couldn’t control anything. I have almost cried every day, I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety.
“Then being dropped was another challenge for me but I think all I had to do was show up and God took care of everything.”
‘Sometimes all you need to do is just hang in there and things fall into place’
Rodrigues’ faith undoubtedly helped her during her match-winning knock, but so did her class as she blended innovation with classical cricket shots and kept her cool when the boundaries dried up.
Australia’s profligate fielding was also of great assistance. Rodrigues was inexplicably shelled on 82 by wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy after top-edging a sweep and dropped again on 106 by a backpedalling Talia McGrath at mid-off.
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Australia captain Alyssa Healy dropped a sitter in Navi Mumbai, giving a life to Rodrigues on 82
The woman of the moment added: “I know I got a few chances but I feel if you do things with the right intention, God blesses you and I felt everything that happened so far was a set-up for this.”
As Rodrigues’ energy sapped late on, she was kept going by the crowd, her India colleagues and quoting passages from the Bible.
“One scripture says ‘stand still and God will fight for you’. I stood there and he fought for me.
“I am so blessed that when I cannot carry on, my team-mates encourage me to carry on.
“Navi Mumbai has always been special for me and I couldn’t ask for anything better. I would like to thank everyone who chanted, who shouted, who cheered, who believed.
“Every run they cheered, it pumped me up. I’m very grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t and were there for me and understood me because I couldn’t do this on my own.”
It was not for me to prove a point, it was for me to win this game for India because we have always lost in crunch situations and I just wanted to be there at the end to take us through. It was not about my hundred, it was about making India win.
Rodrigues got practically everything right in her innings but it is hard to agree with her modest appraisal that, ‘I can’t take credit for any of this, I know I have done nothing’.
She can, and should, take plenty of credit. For her batting, for her honesty, and for her fighting spirit.
“Sometimes all you need to do is just hang in there and things fall into place,” added Rodrigues.
India have hung in there in this tournament and things may be falling into place for them to win their first World Cup title.
Rodrigues’ ‘innings of a lifetime’ has taken them one step closer.
Watch the Women’s Cricket World Cup final between India and South Africa, in Navi Mumbai, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 9am on Sunday (9.30am first ball). Stream cricket, football, golf, darts and more contract-free with NOW.
