Depending on which headline you caught on Friday, the day after India qualified for the finals, Jemimah Rodrigues was either India’s phenomenon or the toast of the nation. Even the iconic Amul weighed in with Jem of an innings. Regardless of what happens at the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday – and this is being written on Sunday morning—there is no going back for the 25-year-old batter from Bandra.

So many firsts and so much accomplished in the course of one Thursday night. An unbeaten 127 that took India to its highest ever run-chase of 339 in women’s cricket. Along with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and later Richa Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur, the quartet powered through a win against the formidable Australians, ending the 15-win streak of their women’s team at ODI World Cups.

Dropped from the India team ahead of the 2022 World Cup and then again just weeks ago for the group game against England, it was an evening of personal redemption for Jemi. That this should come at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, a Mumbai girl acquitting herself on home ground, only made it sweeter.

Later she said: “I didn’t play for my 100. I didn’t play to prove a point. I didn’t play for my 50. I just played to make sure India wins. I wanted to see India win. That........

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