When the winning run was hit at the DY Patil Stadium and India sealed their spot in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final, Jemimah Rodrigues finally let her emotions flow. The tears she had held back through a long, tense chase came pouring out. For her, this was more than a hundred — it was a release. A triumph not just over Australia, but over self-doubt, anxiety, and months of emotional struggle.
Jemimah’s unbeaten 127 off 134 balls against the reigning champions was the kind of innings that turns pressure into poetry. Yet, beneath that calm exterior was a story of quiet battles and personal resilience. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Jemimah Rodrigues decided to be raw and honest — not just as a cricketer, but as a person.
“I’ll be very vulnerable here,” she began. “I was going through a lot of anxiety at the start of the tournament. Before a few games, I used to call my mum and cry. When you’re dealing with anxiety, you feel numb — you don’t know what to do, you’re just trying to be yourself.”
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She credited her parents, Arundhati Reddy, Smriti Mandhana, and Radha Yadav for standing by her during that difficult phase. “My mum and dad supported me a lot. Arundhati saw me cry almost every day. Smriti didn’t say much, but she would just stand next to me, and that meant everything. I’m blessed to have friends I can call family.”
⭐️ Jemimah Rodrigues delivers a masterclass with an unbeaten 127 (134) as India chase 339 to reach their first-ever World Cup final!
Emotional scenes post-match as Jemimah breaks down while hugging her father.. says she “cried every day” through the tournament battling anxiety… pic.twitter.com/ATKyGE34QK
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) October 31, 2025
Her emotional honesty struck a chord across the cricketing world. She revealed that being dropped earlier in the tournament had deepened her insecurities.
“That really hit me. I always wanted to contribute, but sitting out made me question myself. When I came back, I felt even more pressure to prove something,” she admitted.
WATCH – Smriti Mandhana’s Heartfelt Hug With Jemimah Rodrigues After Epic Run Chase
But the night of October 30 was her full-circle moment. “Sometimes, all you need to do is hang in there. I’m grateful to everyone who believed in me when I couldn’t,” she said. Jemimah Rodrigues also shared how her faith guided her through dark days: “Reading the Bible gave me strength. It says, ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.’ And today, joy came — but I’m still weeping.”
Under the lights of DY Patil Stadium, her bat did the talking, but her tears told the real story — one of courage, vulnerability, and redemption. Jemimah Rodrigues didn’t just win a match; she won her battle within.
