Team India scripted history at the DY Patil Stadium by clinching their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title on November 2, 2025. Behind that triumph, one of the key catalysts was Jemimah Rodrigues.
To celebrate her success, RevSportz had an exclusive chat with her coach and mentor, Prashant Shetty, a former Ranji Trophy player, BCCI-certified coach, and the man behind the Kkalpavriksha Cricket Clinic, previously associated with MIG Club, Mumbai.
In this conversation, Prashant opens up on Jemimah’s journey, her match-winning knock against Australia, getting dropped midway into the tournament, technical adjustments, leadership chances in WPL 2026, and more.
Jemimah, the World Champion — how does it feel for you?
It is amazing. That semifinal innings was fantastic because we knocked the seven-time champions out. Then to go on and win the final with that energy, it was just brilliant. The confidence from beating Australia gave a big boost. It is an amazing feeling not just for us, but for the whole country.
Her unbeaten 127 against Australia in the semifinal — how special was that?
Probably, that was the innings of a lifetime. We had targeted the knockout games — that’s where champions step up. Before the World Cup, we spoke about past chases where India faltered, especially against Australia, trying to finish too early.
This time, my message was simple: stay till the end. Even if 20–25 runs are needed in the last overs, the pressure shifts to them.
She showed patience, belief and maturity. Even as partners kept changing, she trusted them and guided them. Battling fatigue, showing self-belief — it was an outstanding, mentally tough performance.
After that game, Jemimah opened up about anxiety issues. From a player’s perspective, how do you look at it from a mental side of things?
When you start a tournament with good form but suddenly get two ducks and are dropped, it is hard. Expectations from yourself, your teammates, and fans can be overwhelming. That is when anxiety hits.
It was brave of her to speak about it publicly. It takes courage to show emotions in front of the world, and she deserves credit for that.
