INDIA LIFT CUP OF DREAMS

Deepti's fifer, Shafali's show with bat and ball help the women's team win its first ODI World Cup in its third appearance in final

- SANJJEEV K SAMYAL

MUMBAI: With the entire stadium's eyes fixed on her, Amanjot Kaur ran to her left to get her hands under the skier by Laura Wolvaardt off the first ball of the 42nd over. In a heart-stopping moment for the 45,000 home fans at the DY Patil Stadium, the ball popped out of Amanjot's palms on the first attempt, and the second attempt, but the India allrounder kept her eyes on the ball and plucked it the third time, taking the most important catch of the game, ending the South Africa captain's valiant innings.

Kapil Dev's running catch off Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final is still spoken about, and given the importance of Amanjot's effort in the Women’s ODI World Cup final, it will also become part of the cricketing folklore.

India avoided the spectacular to play percentage cricket to trump South Africa, creating history with their first World Cup triumph. They backed a batting performance of controlled aggression with a fine all-round bowling show for a convincing 52-run win at the packed Navi Mumbai Stadium on Sunday.

With South Africa needing 79 runs from 54 balls and Wolvaardt (101) in the zone and playing a great anchor role - she hit a sensational 169 in the semis - everyone at the DY Patil Stadium were on the edge of their seats. India had done well to get to a total of 298/7 but the SA opener had taken the chase to the hosts with the fighting century off 96 balls.