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Numbers that won a World Cup: India's player by player report cards - roles, impact scores, defining moments explained
India won their maiden Women's World Cup defeating South Africa in the final. How did each player contribute in this campaign?
Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls have written a new chapter in the history of Indian cricket with their win over South Africa in the final of the Women's ODI World Cup 2025. With their 52-run win, they have secured their maiden title and established themselves as the new champions of Women's cricket.
A tournament does not come down to individual brilliance. Each member of the unit needs to play their part for the team to become the champions. India have had their setbacks in their campaign, and all the members displayed their will and grit to bring the team out of that position and take them to the world title. Let us have a look at the performance and impact of each player in India's championship run.
1. Harmapreet Kaur
Matches: 9 Runs: 260 Average: 32.50
Impact score: 8/10
Highlight: 89 (88) vs Australia in the Semi-final
The captain of the team cut the exact figure that is needed in campaigns like this. After the first two matches, India lost three games on the bounce, but the skipper looked unfazed. Yes, some calls drew criticism from the experts, especially in the league stage, but by the time the business end of the tournament appeared, Harmanpreet Kaur got a grasp of her own team and found out exactly how to get the best out of each member. She emerged as the leader who leads by example as she played an 89-run against Australia in the semi-final, probably the toughest and most important game of the tournament.
2. Smriti Mandhana
Matches: 9 Runs: 434 Average: 54.25
Impact Score: 9/10
Highlight: Consistent runs at the top of the order
Pick any World Champion from the history of the game, and you will find that they have had one, if not two, solid openers who laid the foundation for them. In most of the games throughout the tournament, Smriti Mandhana did the exact thing. She finished the World Cup as the second-highest run-scorer, and that in itself is a testimony to her contribution in the championship run. She started the tournament with Pratika Rawal as her partner, and the duo were the mainstay of the Indian batting in most of the games. However, Rawal suffered an injury, and for the last two matches, Mandhana had to pair up with Shafali Verma. The change of partners had the least effect on the left-handed batter, and that is evident from the crucial 104-run opening stand between her and Shafali in the summit clash.
3. Pratika Rawal
Matches: 7 Runs: 308 Average: 51.33
Impact Score: 7/10
Highlight: 122 (134) vs New Zealand in a must-win affair
Technically sound and a steady run-scorer, Pratika Rawal was the exact partner Smriti Mandhan needed. While Rawal laid the foundation with Mandhana in most of the games, their partnership in the must-win game against New Zealand falls short of adjectives. It was unfortunate that she suffered a freakish injury during India's last league stage game against Bangladesh and could not play the two most important matches of the campaign, but as long as she was active, she played her part brilliantly.
4. Shafali Verma
Matches: 2 Runs: 97 Average: 48.50
Impact Score: 9/10
Highlight: 87 (78) and 2/36 in the Final
Pratika Rawal's injury provided Shafali Verma with the chance of a lifetime. Although she failed to impress on her return against Australia in the semi-final, she did not let the chance slip in the finale. Shafali's 87 runs off 78 deliveries was the base of the formidable total India put on the board, and then with the ball she picked up the important wickets of Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp. Verma was on spot in the final and her impact in the biggest match of all was the most, earning her the player of the match award.
5. Jemimah Rodrigues
Matches: 8 Runs: 292 Average: 58.40
Impact Score: 9/10
Highlight: 127 (134)* vs Australia in the Semi-final
The tournament did not start on the brightest note for Jemimah Rodrigues. This saw her getting dropped for the England match in the league stage. But then, Jemimah made the comeback of a lifetime. At first, she scored an important half-century against New Zealand in a must-win affair and then played the best innings of her career against Australia in the semi-final. In a chase of 339, Jemimah displayed unwavering grit and nerves to guide India through and book their berth in the final.
6. Deepti Sharma
Matches: 9 Runs Scored: 215 Batting Average: 30.71 Wickets: 22 Bowling Average: 20.40
Impact Score: 10/10
Highlight: All-round performance throughout the tournament
Deepti Sharma was at the centre of it throughout India's campaign in the tournament. She kick-started the tournament with a half-century during a crisis against Sri Lanka, scored a half-century against England and then played a valuable knock of 58(58) in the final.
While with the bat, she was India's crisis manager, with the ball, she was their biggest weapon. Deepti picked up 22 wickets in the tournament, the highest. The five-for in the final was the perfect culmination of what has been a brilliant tournament for the Indian all-rounder. The player of the tournament award was much deserved for Deepti.
7. Richa Ghosh
Matches: 8 Runs: 235 Average: 33.16 Strike Rate: 133.52
Impact Score: 8/10
Highlight: 94(77) vs South Africa in the league stage
It is very difficult to find a perfect finisher in cricket, but India found one in Richa Ghosh during the tournament. The highlight of her campaign was the 94 off 77 against South Africa in the league stage. But in almost all the games, Ghosh provided the impetus and firepower to the team coming to bat in the lower middle-order. Yes, there were areas in her keeping where she could have done better, but her impact with the bat made her a crucial cog of the line-up.
8. Amanjot Kaur
Matches: 7 Runs Scored: 146 Average: 36.50 Wickets: 6 Bowling Average: 45.66
Impact Score: 7/10
Highlight: 57 (56) vs Sri Lanka in the league stage
Amanjot Kaur emerged as Harmanpreet's stopgap option throughout the tournament in both batting and bowling. She played a vital knock in the first match against Sri Lanka and then adjusted herself to the demands of the hour for the rest of the campaign. Whenever India needed a quick run-scorer, India sent her to bat, or whenever they needed a couple of overs to contain runs, Harmanpreet turned to Amanjot.
9. Radha Yadav
Matches: 3 Wickets: 4 Average: 35.25
Impact Score: 5/10
Radha Yadav was the horse for the course for India during the tournament. The management used her in only three games, and she delivered to the best of her abilities. Her bowling numbers might not look great, and she might not have given a standout performance, but her spell in the semi-final was a crucial one. In a match where nearly 700 runs were scored, Radha's spell helped India keep things in check while bowling. Besides, she is a brilliant fielder, and her presence on the field in the semi-final and final definitely raised the standards of the whole team.
10. Kranti Gaud
Matches: 8 Wickets: 9 Average: 40.11
Impact Score: 6/10
Highlight: 3/20 vs Pakistan in the league stage
The Indian seamer was a touch expensive throughout the tournament. But Kranti Gaud's ability to extract something from the dullest of surfaces made her a vital weapon in India's arsenal. In the match against the arch-rivals, Gaud emerged as the destructor in chief, picking up three wickets and breaking the backbone of the opposition.
11. Shree Charani
Matches: 9 Wickets: 14 Average: 27.64
Impact Score: 8/10
Highlight: 3/41 in the league stage
Probably the least talked about and the most underrated contributor of this campaign. Shree Charani was crucial and integral to India's bowling plans throughout the tournament. She displayed herself as a fast learner, and in most cases, her ability to read the surface quickly and adjust her line and length to the demands of the track made her vital. Charani's overs in the middle phase helped India gain control in most of the games.
12. Renuka Thakur
Matches: 6 Wickets: 3 Average: 60.33
Impact Score: 2/10
If the campaign was underwhelming for someone, it was Renuka Singh Thakur. Her role was to pick up some early wickets with the new ball and put India on the front foot early in the game. But in most of the matches, the pacer failed to play her role and execute the plans to perfection.
13. Harleen Deol
Matches: 7 Runs: 169 Average: 33.80
Impact Score: 5/10
Highlight: 48 (64) vs Sri Lanka
Harleen Deol started the tournament as India's number three, but then was benched due to team composition. But as long as she played, Deol looked good with the bat and appeared to be a steady run-scorer for the team.
14. Sneh Rana
Matches: 6 Runs Scored: 99 Batting Average: 49.50 Wickets: 7 Bowling Average: 45.42
Impact Score: 6/10
Highlight: 33 (24) and 2/47 vs South Africa in the league stage
Sneh Rana was the utility player that every team craves for. In the initial stages of the tournament, Rana delivered crucial performances with both the ball and the bat. However, there was a dip in her bowling, and hence India decided to move ahead without her for the last two games.
