Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues revealed that a phone call from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar helped her reset mentally after her match-winning century in the Women's ODI World Cup semifinal against Australia in 2025. Tendulkar's advice gave her the clarity needed to keep her focus on the ultimate prize. 

Following her unbeaten 127 in the semifinal, Rodrigues admitted feeling overwhelmed and emotional. Her performance was a personal redemption arc after struggling with anxiety early in the series. Sachin Tendulkar reached out with crucial advice to ensure she stayed grounded before the final.

“Sachin sir called my coach Prashant Shetty. He asked him to tell me that he understood the past couple of days had been a lot for me, the big knock against Australia in the semifinal, the joy of beating them. But he reminded me that the job was not over yet. We still had a final to win. He said, 'try to put that aside and start from zero'. That message really helped me reset my mind,” Jemimah told JioHotstar.

“I understood that what you did before does not win you the next game. You must treat every match as a new start. That advice from a legend gave me so much clarity before the final,” she added.

Historic 2025 ODI World Cup winner star Shafali Verma shares her father’s voice note motivated her

Ahead of the Women's World Cup final, Shafali Verma received a highly motivational voice note from her father, Sanjeev Verma. The message urged her to work hard, give her best on the field, and fulfil a long-standing Indian dream. Shafali revealed that this motivated her to give a performance in the final and win the cup in Navi Mumbai.

"We had two off days before the final. My dad sent me a voice note. He said, 'Just work hard. Give your best on the field, and it has to be in writing that Shafali Verma helped India win the World Cup. That voice note gave me (some) extra fire. I knew I had to perform not just for myself, but for him and for the team. It pushed me to give everything I had on the field,” she said

Shafali Verma delivered a historic all-round performance in the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup Final against South Africa. She scored a match-winning 87 runs off 78 balls and took 2 vital wickets for 36 runs, earning the Player of the Match award.