Jemimah and her redemption arc for the ages as she overcomes anxiety and misfortune to carry India to the Final.
Jemimah Rodrigues completes her redemption arc as the silence turns to roars.
Jemimah Rodrigues was on 82 when she slog-swept Alana King at DY Patil Stadium, receiving barely a top-edge. King and Alyssa Healy converged beneath the ball as it spiralled high towards midwicket. The throng of 35,000 people became silent for a few seconds.
Up until that point, Rodrigues had been batting like a dream. It had been a nerve-wracking game. Even though India still needed 131 from 102 balls, Rodrigues appeared calm as he ran aggressively between the wickets and punctured gaps.
And then there was silence. For India supporters, the spectacle of a set batter being dismissed in the middle of a chase and losing momentum was nothing new. When Smriti Mandhana lost the chase against England in this World Cup’s league stage encounter, they felt that way.
The roar followed. Healy had abandoned Rodrigues. The stands erupted for the relief, but her face hardly moved.
Silence returned a few moments later.
King struck Rodrigues in front, and Australia reviewed the not-out call with confidence. The large screen was the focus of thousands of eyes. The ball crosses the stumps with two reds and one green. The roar came back.
Rodrigues had a clear idea after that: capitalise. However, the circumstances were harsh. She was hours into her innings and later disclosed that she felt exhausted due to the humidity exceeding 75%.
However, this was more than a single evening. It was about the days, weeks, and years that had brought her to this point. This was the kind of story that sports adore: a grit-driven redemptive arc.
Heartbreak was the first step. She was eliminated for the 2022 World Cup due to a poor run of form. By the age of 25, she had established herself as one of India’s senior hitters after fighting her way back. However, things changed once more during this World Cup. There are two ducks. Two thirties. She was then dropped for the England match, which was another setback.
Rodrigues was having trouble off the pitch. Anxiety began to seep in. She talked about “feeling numb” and days when she sobbed a lot. Her misgivings were only heightened by the omission.
Even while athletics can be brutal, it also presents another opportunity. Rodrigues was elevated to No. 3 and made a comeback to the starting lineup against New Zealand. The answer was clear: 76 out of 55 to lead India home. However, that was only the start.
Then Thursday arrived. Another advancement to No. 3, this time against Australia, the undefeated reigning champs. This was a world record chase in front of a home audience, so it wasn’t just any chase. The kind of stage that puts every nerve to the test.
She played herself in for the first eleven balls. A four followed, and the strain subsided a little. There were unanswered questions: would India go too far like they had against England? Without Mandhana, their best hitter thus far in the competition, could they succeed?
Rodrigues was certain they could. She batted as though she thought India could chase 300 or more.
The timeless Rodrigues shots started to appear: the flick through midwicket, the late cut past backward point, the loft over short third from Ash Gardner, and the crackling sweeps of all types. India was gaining momentum, but pressure was also mounting.
Harmanpreet changed tactics and unleashed a string of boundaries when 150 was required off 20 overs. After quick runs, Rodrigues cheered and waved her thumb, encouraging her captain. The silence and a familiar fear resurfaced when Harmanpreet collapsed for 89, exhausted and cramped: was another collapse imminent?
Not now. Rodrigues led her partners with composure and steadiness.
When she reached her century off 117 balls, Richa Ghosh gave her a hug and a polite fist bump instead of a raucous celebration. The task was not completed. The asking rate remained above one run each ball.
The arena fell silent once more when Ghosh delivered a few powerful blows before being dismissed for 26. Rodrigues, however, made sure the quiet was short-lived. Sophie Molineux scored a four, followed by two more off Annabel Sutherland. Amanjot Kaur completed the equation with two boundaries in the 49th over, bringing it down to single digits.
With her teammates surrounding her, Rodrigues fell to her knees and began to cry. She played in harsh conditions for almost 100 overs, but it was definitely worth it. Later, during the press conference and the presentation, there would be more tears. However, they offered a tale of redemption that transcended all chases.
Rodrigues is one of the greatest comeback tales; she overcame adversity and self-doubt to guide her squad past a team that hardly ever loses. Ultimately, she ensured that every hush at the DY Patil Stadium became a clamour.