Star batter Jemimah Rodrigues delivered a stunning performance in the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final, guiding India’s chase against Australia at DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. Set a daunting target of 339, India suffered early blows with the dismissals of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, but Rodrigues’ composed century helped steady the innings.
Rodrigues, Kaur Build Crucial Partnership
After Shafali’s early exit left India reeling at 13/1, Rodrigues joined Mandhana in the middle. The pair added vital runs before Mandhana fell to a close DRS call with the score just past 55. Unfazed, Rodrigues forged a commanding partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, reviving India’s hopes.
The duo added over 100 runs together, displaying a mix of aggression and calculated risk-taking. Rodrigues rotated the strike efficiently and struck timely boundaries, ensuring India stayed within reach of the steep target. She brought up her century off 115 balls in the 42nd over, earning loud cheers from the home crowd.
Rodrigues Joins Elite Company
According to ESPNcricinfo, Rodrigues became only the second Indian to score a century in a Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final, joining her skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who famously smashed 171* against Australia in the 2017 semi-final in Derby. India had won that match after posting 281/4 in a rain-affected 42-over clash, restricting Australia to 245 in response.
This innings marks Rodrigues’ maiden century in the Women’s ODI World Cup, a significant feat in her debut tournament. Overall, it is her third century in WODI cricket, to go with eight half-centuries. Her maturity and resilience under pressure once again showcased why she’s one of India’s most dependable middle-order batters.