Jemimah Rodrigues opened up about the psychological struggles she underwent during the semi-final match against Australia in the Women’s World Cup 2025. The right-handed batter’s unbeaten 127 run knock out of 134 balls (including 14 fours) guided her team to glory in a high-pressure run chase.
Chasing a mammoth 339-run target, Rodrigues’ 3rd ODI ton, along with Harmanpreet Kaur’s fifty, steered India to a 5-wicket victory with 9 balls to spare.
The 25-year-old revealed how she suffered with an in-depth struggle, which was not at all easy for her to overcome the anxiety and self-doubt over the past few weeks in the tournament.
‘Cried Every Day’: Rodrigues Opens Up About Her Emotional Struggle
After getting dropped from the previous year’s T20 World Cup squad in 2024, Jemimah spoke about how she survived each day filled with anxiety and tears:
“See! Today it was about India’s victory rather than my fifty or century. Despite getting dropped multiple times, I knew god was there to support me throughout.
Although I was in my best form, things were not happening and were out of control. I cried every day and went through severe anxiety. There were challenges for me, but I had a few amazing people around me. I had to show up my best every day, and God kept helping me throughout,” Jemimah said.
‘Tried to Stay Calm Till the End’: Rodrigues’ Technique to Success
The Indian batter furthermore revealed how she kept on murmuring a phrase from the bible while batting against Australia and said that it was one of the main reasons to guide India to the winning total:
“Yeah! I kept speaking to myself and ensured that I would keep on murmuring just one scripture from the Bible, saying, ‘Stay Calm! Stand Still, and Certainly God Will Help You. As a result, I stayed calm till the end and witnessed India triumph by five wickets. This was one such emotional moment where I wasn’t able to control myself,” Rodrigues said.
Deepti and Richa’s Support for Jemimah
Jemimah Rodrigues spoke about how her teammates Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh supported her during a tricky run chase by playing quickfire knocks batting in the middle order:
“Exactly! After Harry Di (referring to Harmanpreet Kaur) arrived at the crease, we spoke about how to build a long-lasting partnership. Deepti also discussed with me after every ball. Likewise, Richa also discussed with me about maintaining a formidable run stand.
There were moments when I found it difficult to score runs. But my teammates motivated me. Especially, the Navi Mumbai is a very special venue close to my heart.
Thanks to the immense support from the fans, who chanted my name and motivated me when I was pulled down, and another 80 runs were required to reach the winning target,” Jemimah added.
Deepti Sharma’s 17-ball-24 run knock (including 3 fours) and Richa Ghosh’s 26 runs from 16 balls (including 2 fours and 2 sixes) helped to form crucial partnerships of 38 runs and 46 runs with Rodrigues.
The instant cameos from these two middle-order batters motivated Jemimah to play a steady knock without rushing out to play too much of aggressive strokes.
Was Rodrigues Aware of Getting Promoted to the No.3 Spot?
It was just five minutes before the commencement of the second innings that Jemimah Rodrigues came to know about her promotion to the No.3 slot in the batting order. Here is what the young Indian batter said:
“No! I wasn’t aware that I would bat at the No.3 spot. Discussions were going on, and I said to let me know about the final decision. Just five minutes before, I was instructed to bat at the third position.
It wasn’t about proving my batting skills at the No.3. Rather, it was taking India home safely and securing a spot in the final, as there were moments where we faced losses in critical situations,” Rodrigues explained.
A Valuable Support From Parents and Friends
Rodrigues thanked her loved ones and friends for supporting her during tough times throughout the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025:
“Thanks! My mom, Dad, and friends like Radha and Arundathi, who stood up for me and helped me fight against all odds. When we are anxious, we get a numb feeling. Every day, I cried in front of Arundathi, and even though she didn’t say much, her presence was enough for me to boost my confidence levels.
Once again, I feel thankful and blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. And I don’t feel bad asking for help,” Rodrigues voiced her opinion.
Also Read: Is Virat Kohli’s Legendary IPL Journey Finally Coming to an End?
Conclusion
Ahead of the semi-final clash, Jemimah Rodrigues scored 141 runs in 5 innings. Having started the tournament with a golden duck, the talented batter had a disappointing run with the bat, scoring 32, 0, and 33 against Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia, respectively.
She was later sidelined from the playing XI for the group stage fixture against England, but made a remarkable comeback by scoring an unbeaten 55-ball 76-run knock against New Zealand.
However, the recent semi-final match against Australia exhibited Rodrigues’s red-hot form in crunch moments. So far, Team India’s new rising star has scored 268 runs in 6 innings at an average of 67.00.
Overall, Jemimah’s presence at the No.3 spot will be crucial for the women-in-blue’s batting lineup to triumph over the Proteas in the grand finale on November 02 (Sunday) and lift their first-ever World Cup trophy at home.
