What happened last night at the DY Patil Stadium was simply amazing. India’s women’s cricket team defeated South Africa by 52 runs and won the World Cup for the first time.
Chasing a target of 298, South Africa was all out for just 246. But the turning point of the match was a catch, a juggling feat by Amanjot Kaur, that left everyone stunned.
Amanjot, a 25-year-old all-rounder, dismissed Laura Wolvaardt off Deepti Sharma. Laura is a star in women’s cricket, having already scored two centuries in the semi-finals and finals at the age of 26.
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In the final, she scored 101 runs off 96 balls, taking South Africa close to victory. But on the first ball of the 42nd over, Laura played a slog sweep. The ball went high, but short of distance. Amanjot ran to deep midwicket.
The ball slipped from her hand, went out, then popped again, but the third time she caught it with one hand! The stadium erupted in screams, like the climax of a Bollywood movie.
IND vs SA: A huge moment of the match
This catch proved to be a game-changer. South Africa’s batting faltered after Laura’s departure. Deepti performed brilliantly, taking five wickets for just 39 runs.
Shafali Verma also did no less, playing a stormy inning of 87 runs and then taking two wickets with the ball.
Amanjot was the one who ran out South African opener Tazmin Brits, also with a direct throw. She was out for 23 runs early in the match.
The catch quickly went viral on social media. Star Sports tweeted, “Hughes moment!
Amanjot had said before the match, “We’re all positive and excited. We were a little bored because of the rain, but now we’re just waiting to get on the field.” Her words came true.
She conceded 11 runs in the first over, but quickly bounced back with a run-out.
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Amanjot’s Heroic Story
Amanjot Kaur’s fielding performance has become one of the best catches in women’s cricket history. Her one-handed catch, followed by juggling, was a superhero-esque performance.
After the match win, captain Harmanpreet Kaur said, “This was the team’s dream, now it’s come true. We are here because of fielders like Amanjot.”
Many male cricketers, including Rohit Sharma and Smriti Mandhana, were present at the stadium, and they all became emotional after the victory.
South Africa captain Laura said after the defeat, “We fought well, but India made a comeback. Amanjot’s catch was unique.”
Richa Ghosh had played a 94-run innings for India in the league match, but Amanjot scored 11 runs in the final. Overall, this victory is a milestone for Indian women’s cricket. The BCCI announced a prize money of ₹51 crore.
