Emotional Jemimah Rodrigues expressed her emotions at the post-match event of an exciting women world cup 2025 match between Australia and the Dr. DY Patil sports academy in Navi Mumbai. Thursday, October 30 India pursued a record 339-run goal when Jemimah gave a 127-run masterclass in Navi Mumbai.
She started by glorifying Jesus, then glorifying her parents and coach. Jemimah Rodrigues confessed that she did not have the slightest idea that she would be at the bat at the very end. She also emphasized on how she followed the team-first philosophy when she is in the middle of the batting line, but not the score that she was getting.
“Firstly, I want to thank Jesus, because I couldn’t do this on my own. I know he carried me through today. I want to thank my mom, my dad, my coach, and every single person who just believed in me throughout this time. It was really hard these last four months, but it just feels like a dream and it’s not sunk in yet. I actually did not bat at three. I was still at five while taking a shower. And when the discussion was happening, I just told them, let me know. So just before entering in, I got to know I’m batting at three. But I didn’t think about me. It was not for me to prove a point. It was just for me to win this match for India because we’ve always lost in certain situations. And I just wanted to be there to be able to take us through. Today was not about my 50 or my 100. Today was about making India win. I know I got a few chances, but I just feel like God has given everything at the right time and he grew it into the right intention, pure intention. And I just feel everything has happened so far just to sit up for this. You make your own luck,” stated Jemimah at the post-match ceremony.
The 25 year old middle order batter also shared the way her pillars of support assisted her amidst the waning mental health following her sacking out of the squad the year before. She also highlighted how her belief in the Bible made her to recover when she was down and even win in one of the most glamorous run-offs in the history of women in ODI cricket.
“Firstly, last year I was dropped from this World Cup. This year I came and I thought, okay, I’ll try it. I was in good form, let’s take it more. But things just kept happening back-to-back and I couldn’t control anything. I had such amazing people around me who believed in me. I’ve almost cried every day throughout this tour. I was not doing well mentally, going through a lot of anxiety. Then being dropped was rather a challenge for me. But I think all I had to do was show up and God just took care of everything. I think initially I was just trying to stay focused, I just keep talking to myself. But towards the end, I was just quoting one scripture from the Bible. Because I had lost energy, I was very tired. I was doing one scripture that said, ‘just stand still and God will fight for you’. And I just stood there and he fought for me. I think I had nothing left in me. It was really hard but I just tried to stay calm till the ball finishes. And at the end, just seeing that India won my final game, I think I couldn’t stop myself,” she added.
Jemimah reported on how she interacted with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur when the two batters were on the crease. Last but not least, the Player of the Match appreciated the attendance of the crowd to the match to cheer her and the Indian team.
“So when Harman di came, all we spoke was about one partnership. We just said, runs are coming. But towards the end, actually, if you want to see that, I was not able to, I was trying to push myself, I was not able to do. Richa keeps speaking to me. Deepti, everyone was speaking to me and encouraging me. Then Amanjot started lifting me up. I am so blessed that I have, when I cannot carry on, my teammates encourage me to carry on. I can’t take credit for any of this. I know I have done nothing. Navi Mumbai has always been special to me. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I would like to thank each and every member who chanted, who shouted, who believed, who cheered. Everything. And I knew when I was down and out, but for every run they were cheering, it pumped me up. Thank you for everyone who came in large numbers and everyone who supported,” concluded Jemimah.
India will face South Africa in the big event’s final on Sunday, November 2. The match will take place at the same site. This 127-run innings was Jemimah’s third ODI century and her greatest score. She hit 14 fours in the entire innings.
