Jemimah Rodrigues’s most defining performance came in the 2025 Women’s World Cup semifinal when she faced Australia. In a high-scoring game where India had to chase a massive target, Rodrigues remained resolute and scored a century that led her team to a historic win and entered the finals.
Her knock of 127* while chasing 339 helped India outplay the favourites of the tournament and also proved to be one of the highlights of the event on her own merit. In the wake of this successful knock, India's ex-captain, the ever-trustworthy and candid Sunil Gavaskar, made a lighthearted promise to Rodrigues, known for her love of music, that if India won the World Cup, he would sing with her in the near future. India subsequently won the World Cup, and Gavaskar made sure the promise was kept.
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A special gift on the eve of the WPL
Just before the start of the Women’s Premier League, Gavaskar met up with Rodrigues. He surprised her with a special gift. In a video posted on social media, the two were captured greeting each other before Gavaskar handed Rodrigues a small bag. Moments later, he revealed a guitar case, much to her surprise.
Inside was a customised guitar shaped like a cricket bat, which was an act that brought together Rodrigues’s love for music and her cricketing identity. The moment captured her genuine reaction as she opened the case and took in the unique design.
Jemimah Rodrigues posted the video on Instagram, writing, “Sunil sir kept his promise, and we ended up jamming with the coolest Bat-ar ever!! This was a special one.”
Click here to watch the video.
Music, cricket and the Mumbai link
What happened next was more than a gift. Rodrigues and Gavaskar, two Mumbai batsmen, went ahead to have a sing-along. They sang along while Rodrigues accompanied them with his guitar. That was a warm moment that saw two generations of the Indian cricket team come together.
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The World Cup celebrations are now over for Rodrigues, and she shifts her emotional gear to a new challenge. Rodrigues takes up prominent captaincy duty in the Women’s Premier League as she replaces former captain Meg Lanning at Delhi Capitals.
Rodrigues has experienced three seasons playing under the leadership of Lanning, during which the team made it to the final of all the first three seasons but were disappointed each time. Now in charge of the team, Rodrigues aims to have a sterling start as a captain.
The Delhi Capitals start their journey against Harmanpreet Kaur’s defending champions, the Mumbai Indians, as Rodrigues has her eyes set on leading her team to their next biggest prize, a WPL championship.
