Navi Mumbai, Oct 30 (UNI) There are innings that glitter, and there are those that gleam quietly — like a gem polished by pressure. Jemimah Rodrigues’ hundred against defending champions Australia Women at the DY Patil Sports Academy tonight belonged firmly to the latter category — an innings of poise, precision and a quiet defiance that seemed to whisper rather than shout: “I belong here.”
Dropped from the side earlier in the tournament, dismissed first ball in the opener — few would have predicted this renaissance. But batting at No. 3 in the biggest match of her career, Jemimah turned adversity into artistry. Her century came with a simple push off Megan Schutt, followed by a jog, a word with Richa Ghosh, and no theatrics. The celebration was subdued; the statement, deafening.
Australia, champions in muscle and mind, suddenly looked mortal. Their fielding, usually the gold standard, faltered. Alyssa Healy spilled a sitter off Alana King — a top-edge that begged to be caught.
Earlier, Tahlia McGrath at mid-off misjudged a straightforward chance offered by a mistimed drive off Annabel Sutherland. Even a faint edge off Kim Garth brushed Healy’s glove without sticking. Each miss a thread in the unraveling of Australia’s aura.
For India, this was history revisited. Not since Harmanpreet Kaur’s legendary 171 not out at Derby in 2017 had an Indian woman raised a century in a World Cup semifinal or final. And fittingly, this became only the second time two centuries have adorned a knockout, after Alyssa Healy and Nat Sciver-Brunt lit up the 2022 final.
Jemimah’s innings was not about audacity; it was about elegance under siege. Every run stitched with calm control, every glance whispering of belief reborn. It felt as though Mumbai itself paused — to watch a young woman write her own redemption song. UNI BDN SSP
