A starry night in Navi Mumbai saw India eclipse the final hurdle. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team pulled off a miracle in the semi-final against Australia before holding onto their own to break the hearts of South Africa in the summit clash. The Women in Blue now bask in the glory, healing hearts and inspiring billions of Indians. We have ourselves first-time champions, hoping to make this now a well-deserved habit.
Across the 31 games, the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 saw some immense cricketing action. Despite rain interruptions dampening the tournament in a few games, the cricketing action was quite tremendous. Multiple match-winners rose up to the occasion; collapses were arrested, while bowling was quite hard to negotiate as well. Below, we have compiled the best XI comprising of the most deserving players from the entire tournament that started on September 30.
Team of the Tournament – ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025
| Player | Runs | Bat Avg | Strike Rate | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smriti Mandhana (IND) | 434 | 54.25 | 99.09 | – |
| Laura Wolvaardt (C) (SA) | 571 | 71.37 | 98.78 | – |
| Jemimah Rodrigues (IND) | 292 | 58.40 | 101.03 | – |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt (ENG) | 262 | 43.67 | 85.3 | 9 |
| Marizanne Kapp (SA) | 208 | 29.71 | 102.97 | 12 |
| Ashleigh Gardner (AUS) | 328 | 82.00 | 130.15 | 7 |
| Richa Ghosh (wk) (IND) | 235 | 39.16 | 133.52 | – |
| Annabel Sutherland (AUS) | 117 | 29.25 | 85.40 | 17 |
| Nadine de Klerk (SA) | 208 | 52.00 | 131.64 | 9 |
| Deepti Sharma (IND) | 215 | 30.71 | 90.33 | 22 |
| Sophie Ecclestone (ENG) | – | – | – | 16 |
1. Smriti Mandhana (India)
All hopes were pinned on Smriti Mandhana going into this World Cup and she didn’t disappoint. After a quiet start, she struck big when it mattered most, scoring 80 against Australia, 88 versus England, and a brilliant 109 against New Zealand. Her 45 in the final capped off a record-breaking campaign where she became India’s top run-getter in a single World Cup. After winning the elusive trophy, she mentioned how 45 sleepless nights were all worth it!
2. Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
The South African captain has now won over many Indians after he terrific show in the night of the finals. Laura Wolvaardt led from the front, compiling 571 runs at an extraordinary average of over 70. Her hundred in the semifinal against England and another in the final against India defined South Africa’s run. The biggest shining light was the fact that her 571 runs in the tournament is now the most any batter has scored in a single Women’s ODI World Cup campaign, surpassing Alyssa Healy’s tally of 509 (from 2022).
3. Jemimah Rodrigues (India)
If not for Jemimah Rodrigues’ masterclass in the semi-final, India wouldn’t have reached here. She played a once-in-a-lifetime innings and stood like a rock against Australia’s juggernaut. After a poor start, Jemimah roared back with heart. Promoted to No. 3, she struck a fluent 76* against New Zealand before her unforgettable 127* in the semifinal, where she powered India to the biggest chase in women’s cricket history. Not to mention, she was dropped from the team midway in the tournament and now finds herself in this best XI. Phew, take a bow, Jemi!
4. Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)
Usual business for Nat Sciver-Brunt. The England all-rounder shone her value again as she chipped in with runs and timely wickets. She scored a fifty in the semi-final and was influential in England’s superb win over India in the league phase. She accumulated 262 runs while also taking nine wickets!
5. Marizanne Kapp (South Africa)
Every time South Africa were on the brink, Kapp turned up like clockwork. Her unbeaten 68 off 43 against Pakistan showed her dominance, and that 5 for 20 against England in the semifinal was pure theatre. Alongside Wolvaardt, she was the reason South Africa stayed relevant when everything else was falling apart. Also, she eclipsed Jhulan Goswami’s record and is now also the leading wicket-taker in the history of ICC Women’s ODI World Cup with 44 scalps. It was unfortunate that she didn’t contribute much in the final but got all the emotional support from her WPL teammates after the loss.
6. Ashleigh Gardner (Australia)
Ashleigh Gardner didn’t just bat; she detonated bowling attacks. Coming in when Australia were wobbling, she carved out two fierce hundreds that kept her team breathing. Add a few tidy overs of off-spin, and she somehow looked like the one player still playing with intent in an otherwise flat Australian campaign. In ICC ODI rankings, Gardner is No. 1 among all-rounders, No. 2 among batters and number three among bowlers and her supber World Cup campaign showed just that.
7. Richa Ghosh (India, WK)
Richa Ghosh is the tormentor that India have. An undroppable batter who has tremendous power-hitting. Her quick bursts down the order flipped games, especially her 35* off 20 against Pakistan and a nerveless 34 in the final. However, her scintillating 94 off 77 against South Africa in the league game was perhaps one of the best innings in the league phase.
8. Annabel Sutherland (Australia)
Sutherland bowled like she had something to prove, and probably did. Her 17 wickets meant that she was the joint-leading wicket-taker before the finals, and that 5 for 40 against India was one of the reasons why India lost. Even with the bat, she chipped in enough to make herself indispensable.
9. Nadine de Klerk (South Africa)
Indians fans won’t forget Nadine de Klerk for what she did. Her one-woman show guided South Africa to one of their craziest wins over Women in Blue. She could’ve pulled off something similar in the final too but fortunately it wasn’t to be. Every time South Africa needed a lift, she gave it, with either bat or ball. Her strike of 131.65 proved to be the best in the tournament after Ghosh’s 133.52.
10. Deepti Sharma (India)
Deepti Sharma was India’s backbone. She bowled with discipline, batted with composure, and quietly built a campaign that ended in history. She became the first player ever, male or female, to score a fifty and take a five-for in an ODI knockout match, and the first to do it in any women’s World Cup game. Only England’s Anya Shrubsole had managed a five-wicket haul in a World Cup final before her, back in 2017. Deepti’s 22 wickets in the tournament were the joint second-highest in the competition’s history, matching Jackie Lord’s 1982 tally and just one short of Lyn Fullston’s record of 23. Deepti, deservingly, won the Player of the Tournament award!
11. Sophie Ecclestone (England)
Sophie Ecclestone did what she always does, turn games with a smirk and a perfect spin. Her 16 wickets came without fuss, but the destruction was clinical. The 4 for 17 against Sri Lanka and 4 for 44 in the semifinal were reminders that England’s fortunes still rest heavily on her left arm.
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