On July 23, 2017, England claimed their second Women's World Cup title with a nine-run victory over India at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. The final produced 458 runs across both innings, the highest aggregate in any Women's World Cup final. Chasing 228 for victory, India finished on 219 runs, falling just short in a contest that had spectators on the edge of their seats until the final ball.
The Final That Gripped Two Nations
The Kensington Oval may have hosted the tournament opener, but the climax came 5,000 miles away in London. Anya Shrubsole delivered the performance of her life, taking five wickets for just 11 runs in her 5.2 overs. Her spell dismantled India's top order when the chase was at its most dangerous. England posted 228 runs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, with Tammy Beaumont contributing 34 and Natalie Sciver adding 25 valuable runs down the order.
India's response began steadily. Punam Raut compiled a patient 47, anchoring the innings through the middle overs. The target was achievable, the pitch was flattening, and the required rate remained manageable. Then Shrubsole struck twice in two balls, removing Raut and captain Mithali Raj in successive deliveries. The momentum shifted instantly, and England's fielders fed off the energy.
Shrubsole's Spell That Changed Everything
The Somerset quick had bowled competently throughout the tournament, but this was different. She found movement off the seam that day that left Indian batters guessing. Her fifth wicket came with India still needing 17 runs from 12 balls, effectively sealing the result. The Lord's crowd, a mixture of England supporters and neutrals, erupted each time she approached the wicket in that final spell.
Deandra Dottin had given India hope with a quickfire 27 earlier in the chase, cutting and pulling with authority. When she fell to Shrubsole, the writing was on the wall. Jhulan Goswami, India's veteran pace bowler who had troubled England with the new ball earlier, could only watch from the other end as the remaining batters struggled to accelerate.
What the Victory Meant for England
England had won the Women's World Cup once before in 2009, defeating New Zealand in Sydney. That triumph came under different circumstances, in a tournament that attracted far less global attention. The 2017 version, broadcast to millions across the Commonwealth, arrived at a moment when women's cricket was experiencing genuine growth in participation and commercial interest.
The squad featured several players who had been part of that 2009 side, including captain Charlotte Edwards and all-rounder Lydia Greenway. Their experience proved invaluable in navigating the pressure of a knockout tournament. Head coach Mark Robinson had rebuilt the side after a disappointing 2014 World Cup performance, installing a culture of aggressive cricket that suited the personnel.
Player of the tournament Sarah Taylor provided the backbone of England's batting throughout the campaign, scoring 367 runs at an average exceeding 45. Her wicketkeeping was flawless, adding stability behind the stumps that gave the bowlers confidence to attack. Taylor's form meant England rarely found themselves in positions where they needed miracle recoveries.
The Indian Perspective
For India, the defeat marked the end of a campaign that had shown significant promise. The side had reached the final without losing a match, defeating Australia in the semi-final with a dominant all-round performance. Raut and opening partner Smriti Mandhana had formed a reliable partnership at the top of the order, accumulating 420 runs between them in the tournament.
Mandhana's aggressive strokeplay had been a feature throughout, providing quick starts that took pressure off the middle order. In the final, however, she fell early to a Katherine Brunt in-swinging delivery, leaving India to rebuild. The weight of expectation in a final against the host nation proved different from the pressure of earlier matches against less familiar opponents.
Mithali Raj, who finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 409 runs, had anchored India's recovery from early losses throughout the competition. At Lord's, she walked in with India at 46 for two, needing to see the team through the tricky phase. Shrubsole's double strike ended that possibility, and the chase never recovered its rhythm.
Legacy and the Years Since
The 2017 final is frequently cited as a turning point for women's cricket globally. Ticket sales for the tournament exceeded expectations, with Lord's reporting its highest attendance for any women's cricket match. Broadcast audiences in the United Kingdom doubled compared to the 2013 tournament, demonstrating growing public interest in the women's game.
England's players leveraged the victory to secure improved contracts and facilities within the domestic structure. The England and Wales Cricket Board increased investment in the women's pathway programme, resulting in greater depth in the talent pool. Several members of that 2017 squad continued playing into the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where England claimed gold in Birmingham.
The tournament also accelerated developments in India. The Board of Control for Cricket in Cricket India announced enhanced support for the women's national team, including better training facilities and international exposure tours. Mithali Raj continued representing India until 2022, becoming the first Indian woman to reach 7,000 runs in One Day Internationals.
Looking Ahead
The 2017 final remains a reference point whenever the two sides meet. England's victory gave them a psychological edge that has influenced subsequent encounters. The rivalry continues to produce compelling cricket, with both nations now featuring younger players who grew up watching that Lord's thriller.
For Indian fans who remember the near-miss, the memory provides motivation. The next Women's World Cup cycle is already underway, with qualification tournaments determining the participants. Should India and England meet again in a major final, the result would carry echoes of 2017, but with updated squads and revised strategies shaped by everything that has happened since.
See Also
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