It was a stunning and powerful display of talent, resilience, and tenacity from Jemimah Rodrigues as she steered India past a massive 338 runs set by 7-time champions Australia in a nail-biting ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final at Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Her knock not only sent India to the final but became a triumphant flag of the time, reflecting hope and unity in suffering.
The match ended in euphoria with celebrations all around as the massive turnout erupted in joy. However, Jemimah could not control her emotions as she wept profusely while replying to a host of questions after the match. She mentioned in the post-match interaction how difficult it was for her in the past few days, that she was filled with anxiety and had sleepless nights. She spoke of the times when she was dropped from the team. It appeared that she was fighting another battle in the background.
If we may recall, Jemima, a Mangalorean Catholic, and her family were victims of the most challenging social and political turbulence caused by the propagandised Hindutva nationalism. She faced religious ridicule and controversy involving her father, Ivan Rodrigues, over accusations of religious conversion. Along with sounding false, the blame of “conversion” and the consequent backlash against them have increasingly dotted their days and threatened to overshadow their shining career. Her honorary membership of Khar Gymkhana, Mumbai, was cancelled on the same accusations. She has been a target of persistent online trolling and ridicule, which intensified during the 2025 World Cup season. A video of her younger days at an evangelical event went viral after the Khar Gymkhana membership was canceled. In the video, she is seen sharing her testimony, and the host describes her as being “possessed.”
What is particularly poignant is that during her periods of personal turbulence, she was virtually abandoned by many of those who now cheer her victory. Many who applauded her for her Thursday’s heroics remained silent in times of adversity due to her religious identity. It’s a disturbing picture, well amplified through her short yet powerful speech.
Jemimah thanked Jesus after the end of the innings - a gesture loaded with meaning in this case. She called upon God and recited the Bible verses that stressed the aspects of faith in God, endurance, and guidance from above. Her humble and grateful prayer, “All praise belongs to Jesus Christ, my Lord, and Saviour,” and that “God energised me”, correlated well and passed on a strong message.
One of the biggest takeaways, however, was that the victory became a big unifier of people split by social, political, and religious ideologies. People across barriers welcomed her feats, seeing her not merely as a gifted sportswoman but as a resilient fighter. The happiness and pride confirmed the power that sports have, being able to mend social barriers and create a sense of shared identity within society.
Her life saga is a constant reminder that true winning goes beyond the mere count of runs; it is about having the inner strength to face personal and social trials in the most difficult moments. Her journey is a perfect example of how the power of sport can become an agent of hope, solidarity, and resilience. This is a indeed an uplifting story of guts and glory.
