11:15pm And...breathe. Some game of cricket that, eh?! What that has also ensured is we will have a new winner come Sunday. We hope you enjoyed our coverage today, and we loved all the comments you sent in as well. Hope to see you again when the final rolls in a couple of days' time. Until then, from George, Ranjith, Thilak and myself (Shashwat), it is goodbye!
Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain: Very proud. I don't have words how to express myself. Feeling great, this time we have crossed that line which we have been working towards for so many years. (On what she said to the head coach after the win) We spoke to each other that we have done this because we have been working so hard. Both of us are really proud of this team. We have that trust that any player can win any match from any situation. Made few mistakes but we have been learning from our mistakes. Today, wanted everything to go in our favour in every situation, and kept telling ourselves to be there for the team, and that worked for us. That day (against England) we realized we did not execute well. We were late by 2-3 overs, could have taken risks a few overs earlier and that cost us. That is what we discussed, that we have to be calculative. Once you are out of the game, it is hard to come back. I know it is 50 overs but the last five overs is where you have to be very particular and calculative. We knew what we had to do in the same situation and we wanted to finish it before the 50th over. She (Rodrigues) is someone who always wants to do well for the team. Always very calculative and wants to take responsibility. We always have that trust on her. Both of us had a good time on the pitch. Whenever we were batting, we were complementing each other and calculating. Really enjoy batting with her. She is always telling me we got five runs, seven runs, two balls are left. That shows how involved she is. Amazed to see how she was thinking. Lots of credit to her, to hold her nerve and keep batting for the team. (On reaching the final) One more game to go. Today, we all played well, happy with the result. But we have already started speaking about the next game, that shows how focussed we are and how keen we are to win the World Cup. Playing in home World Cup is special, and we want to give back to our fans and families. One more game to go and we will give it our best. (On the crowd) We are not playing alone. They are with us, and every game, they are coming and pushing us. They have been amazing, even when we lost, we got messages that this World Cup is not done and we can change it. Entire country is with us.
Alyssa Healy, Australia captain: Good contest in the end. Probably reflecting on that, we did that to ourselves a little bit, probably the first time (I have felt that). Did not finish with the bat well, did not bowl that great, dropped chances in the field. But ultimately, outdone in the end. (On the score) We thought we had half-done the job. Left a few (runs) out there. (Felt) If we could execute with the ball and take our chances, we were still in the game. India played really well, held their nerve really well and got themselves across the line. Weird experience for me to stand there and see the next generation go about it. she (Litchfield) was sensational. Set us off really nicely. Was able to cash in with a hundred. Kudos to her. Fun to watch her, and the next four years leading up to the next World Cup will be fun to watch. There is going to be more and more opportunities moving forward. The next cycle could see a bit of change and that is going to be really exciting for the group. Ash (Gardner) had a sensational tournament. Everyone contributed beautifully, that is why it is disappointing to stand here right now. We created enough, pressure and opportunities, but not able to capitalize. I am at fault for that as well. Something we pride ourselves on, let ourselves down in that regard. We will learn from that, grow and hopefully our cricket will improve (from this). We have played some unbelievable cricket. The semi final is a knockout game, and if you do not turn up, anyone is going to get you. So much to be proud of. Someone came in (every game) and got the job done, and that is really cool. Hurts having this conversation right now, having played such good cricket. (On retirements and if she will be there at the next ODI World Cup) I won't be there, Mel. That is the beauty of this next cycle. We will see it unfold. Really excited for our group. Our One-Day cricket is going to shift as well a little. We did so much right, we will learn, grow, get better.
James: "Tears in my eyes listening to Jemimah's interview. Couldn't be happier for her"
Jemimah Rodrigues, Player of the Match: I want to thank Jesus, could not do this on my own. I want to thank my mom, dad and coach and every single person who believed in me. It was really hard this last month, it feels like a dream and it still has not sunk in. (On when she was told she would bat at three) Did not know I was batting at three. Was taking a shower, just told them to let me know. Five minutes before entering in, I was told I was batting at three. Not about me, wanted to win this match for India, and wanted to take this through (having lost crunch matches before). Today was not about my fifty or my hundred, about making India win. Everything that happened so far, was a setup for this. Last year, I was dropped from this World Cup. I was in good form. But things kept happening back-to-back, and could not control anything. I have almost cried every day through this tour. Not doing well mentally, going through anxiety. I knew I had to show up, and God took care of everything. Initially, I was just playing and I keep talking to myself. Towards the end, I was just quoting a scripture from the Bible - to just stand still and that God will fight for me. I just stood there and he fought for me. A lot inside me was left, but was trying to stay calm. Seeing India win by five wickets, I could not stop myself. When Harry di came, it was all about one good partnership. Towards the end, I was trying to push myself but was not able to. Deepti spoke to me every ball and kept encouraging me. When I cannot carry on, my teammates can encourage me. Cannot take credit for anything, I did not do anything (on my own). (On the crowd) Each and every member who chanted, cheered and believed, and for every run they were cheering, that pumped me up.
10:43pm Oh my word. Oh my gosh. Apologies if all of this feels broken, and if this sounds repetitive, because quite often, the most overused term in sport is incredible. But tonight was incredible. It was incredible and some. India were up against it. Against the champions. Up against a total no team had ever chased in a women's ODI before. Then they lost Shafali. Then they lost Mandhana. But they had Rodrigues. And they had Rodrigues playing one of the all-time great knocks, and an innings that will be remembered by almost everyone who witnessed it. Rodrigues also saw it through right till the end, even as her partners ran out of steam a little. And the emotions on her face say it all. This is, lest we forget, her first-ever ODI World Cup, and she has now put India a step away from their first-ever World Cup triumph.
Take nothing away from Harmanpreet either. The captain summoned some of her greatest hits against Australia yet again, and that partnership truly put Australia under the cosh. Deepti and Ghosh then did their bits, as did Amanjot, and India, in the end, iced this run-chase with room to spare.
Australia perhaps still shell-shocked, unable to believe what has hit them. But for the first time in a long while, they did crack under pressure. Catches went down, and Rodrigues made them pay. They were also struggling to come to grips with the dew and as things panned out, they may be left ruing the small collapse towards the end that curtailed them to a sub-350 score, rather than a score well beyond it.
