England's 2017 World Cup triumph: The day Anya Shrubsole broke Indian hearts at Lord's

July 10, 2026 — Vikram Patel 3 min read

Anya Shrubsole delivered the spell of her life at Lord's on July 23, 2017, dismantling India's batting order to steer England to a nine-run victory and their fourth Women's Cricket World Cup title. The pacer finished with figures of 5 for 11 in six overs, rewriting the story of a final that had tilted firmly in India's favour just an hour earlier.

India's dominant start collapses

India had appeared destined for glory when they reached 191 for 3 in the 42nd over, with Punam Raut and captain Mithali Raj steadying the innings after early wickets. The pair had compiled a 75-run partnership, and the 24,000 spectators inside Lord's sensed an Indian victory. Then Shrubsole intervened. She removed Raut, Raj, and three more batters in a devastating 11-ball spell that restrict India to 228 for 7.

The target of 229 was always going to be tricky on a wearing pitch, but England's chase began purposefully. Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont added 51 for the opening wicket before both fell within three balls of each other. The scoreboard pressure mounted as India tightened their grip on the middle overs.

The Heather Knight rescue act

England captain Heather Knight walked to the crease at 120 for 4, with the target still 109 runs away and just 14 overs remaining. She found an unlikely ally in Natalie Sciver, and the pair chiselled out a 69-run stand that shifted the momentum. Knight's 23 came at a strike rate barely above a run a ball, but every single proved crucial. When she was caught behind off Ekta Bisht, the outcome hung by a thread.

Shrubsole's historic figures

The final overs belonged entirely to Shrubsole. Though she had been economical throughout her spell, it was her final over that sealed India's fate. With nine runs needed, she conceded just four runs and claimed the wicket of Deepti Sharma. The boundary ride that followed from Jhulan Goswami gave England breathing room, and a stoic Jenny Gunn saw out the last three deliveries to spark celebrations among the England contingent.

Indian heartbreak at the home of cricket

For India, the defeat marked their second consecutive final loss, following their 2005 defeat to Australia. Mithali Raj's composed 51 had given India exactly the start they needed, but the lower order failed to accelerate when the situation demanded it. Raut's 68 off 104 balls anchored the innings before Shrubsole's late assault dismantled the platform.

Pixum Oz of the ICC labelled Shrubsole's performance as one of the greatest bowling displays in a World Cup final, male or female. The figures of 5 for 11 remain the best in any Women's World Cup final.

Legacy of a landmark tournament

The 2017 World Cup drew record attendance figures for women's cricket in England, with over 180,000 spectators across the tournament. Lord's hosted the final before a sell-out crowd that included Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince Harry. The visibility propelled women's cricket into mainstream conversation across South Asia, where television audiences in India alone exceeded 80 million viewers for the final.

England's triumph completed a remarkable turnaround. They had lost their opening group match against Australia and were briefly at risk of elimination before winning six consecutive matches to claim the title.

What comes next

The 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held in India, giving the host nation another opportunity to claim the trophy that has eluded them since 2013. The tournament begins in September, with warm-up matches starting in August. Indian fans will hope their team can go one better than 2017, when Shrubsole shattered their dreams on English soil.