Jemimah Rodrigues: Faith, Fight, and a Fairytale Comeback
Jemimah Rodrigues revealed that she cried almost every day but managed to stay strong when it truly mattered, helping India reach the final.
Jemimah Rodrigues delivered one of the finest performances of her career, leading India past seven-time champions Australia to enter the Women’s World Cup final. Her unbeaten 127 off 133 balls in the tense semifinal highlighted her calmness and skill against one of the toughest teams in the world. Off the field, however, she was fighting her own battles, struggling with anxiety and emotions. Jemimah admitted that she cried almost every day but still found the courage to stay strong when it mattered most, guiding India to a memorable victory.
“Today wasn’t about my fifty or hundred - it was about making India win,” Jemimah said after being named Player of the Match in the high-stakes semifinal. “I know I got a few chances, but I believe God planned everything perfectly and with the right intention. Everything that’s happened so far led to this moment. In the end, you create your own luck.”
Rodrigues also shared her emotional journey, describing how she struggled with anxiety, self-doubt, and the heartbreak of being dropped last year - before making a powerful comeback with one of the finest innings in Women’s World Cup history.
“Last year, I was dropped from the World Cup,” Rodrigues recalled. “This year, I came in thinking I’d give it another try since I was in good form. But things just kept going wrong one after another, and I couldn’t control much. Thankfully, I had amazing people around me who believed in me. Honestly, I cried almost every day during this tour. Mentally, I was struggling and dealing with a lot of anxiety. Being dropped was a tough challenge, but I realised all I needed to do was keep showing up - and God took care of the rest.”