India, put into bat first, posted a commanding 298/7 in 50 overs, with Shafali Verma leading the charge with a blistering 87 off 78 balls. In response, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt fought valiantly, scoring 101 off 98 deliveries, but her efforts could not prevent South Africa from being bowled out for 246 in 45.3 overs. Deepti Sharma was the standout performer for India, returning impressive figures of 5/39 in 9.3 overs, helping the team seal a 52-run victory and claim the World Cup for the first time.
In celebration of the historic triumph, Kohli shared a photo of the match playing on his TV at home on Instagram, alongside a heartfelt message:
“The girls have created history and I couldn’t be more proud as an Indian to see the hard work of so many years come to life finally. They deserve all the applause and a big congratulations to Harman and the whole team for achieving this historic feat. Also congratulations to the whole squad and the management for the work behind the scenes. Well done India. Enjoy the moment to the fullest. This will inspire generations of girls to take up the sport in our country. Jai Hind.”
Shafali Verma was named Player of the Match, while Deepti Sharma received the Player of the Tournament award.
Kohli’s Upcoming Return
Virat Kohli recently featured in India’s three-match ODI series against Australia, which India lost 2-1. After ducks in the first two games, Kohli made a strong comeback with an unbeaten 74 in the final ODI, guiding India to a nine-wicket victory in Sydney.
The Delhi-born star is set to return to action in India’s three-match home ODI series against South Africa, beginning November 30 in Ranchi. In 305 ODIs so far, Kohli has scored 14,255 runs at an average of 57.71, including 51 centuries and 75 half-centuries, with a strike rate of 93.26.
