Mumbai: Indian cricketers won hearts not only for their wonderful performance against South Africa in the finals of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup on Sunday evening, but also for their warm gesture to console the losing side after the match.
Neither India nor South Africa had ever won the Cup when they took the field on Sunday. Hence, it was no quarter asked, none given.
South Africa had lost two consecutive T20 World Cup finals and captain Laura Wolvaardt’s side pushed India close for much of their chase at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, led by a fine century from the in-form captain herself. However, regular wickets meant India ultimately clinched the game. The players of both sides were in tears after the match ended. While the Indians shed tears of joy, it wasn’t the same for the Proteas.
Netizens reacted positively to a video shared to social media by the ICC, showing Indian players consoling their opponents after the match.
Among those who took the defeat hard was Marizanne Kapp, who was playing in her fifth ODI World Cup, and came as close as she ever has to a title. The teary-eyed South African all-rounder was seen sharing an embrace and being comforted by Jemimah Rodrigues and Radha Yadav, two Indian players who play alongside Kapp for the Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League.
It isn’t clear how many more chances the 35-year-old Kapp will have at a trophy, though she remains at the top of her game.
Jemimah was also spotted having a chat with Nadine de Klerk, who was South Africa’s best player over the tournament and the one who crafted her team’s victory against India in the group stage of the tournament with her stellar 92*. She occupied the crease in the final, but was unfortunate to be the last wicket to fall.
Smriti Mandhana was also spotted exchanging words with Wolvaardt, who finished the tournament as leading scorer after notching up centuries in both the semifinal and final and leading her team from the front.
No list of great women’s openers is complete without this pair of batters, both of whom are part of the exclusive group of players with double-digit centuries in women’s ODI cricket.