Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Defending champions India lifted the title of the 2025 ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa by nine wickets in a one-sided affair in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Batting first, South Africa was bundled out for just 82 runs in the allotted 20 overs. In reply, India chased down the target, scoring 84 runs in 11.2 overs while losing just one wicket.
South Africa lost opener Simone Lourens for a duck. While the other opener, Jemma Botha, scored 16, the rest of the top-order failed to reach double digits. Middle-order batter Mieke van Voorst top-scored for South Africa with an 18-ball 23. Fay Cowling scored 15, and Karabo Meso contributed 10.
Gongadi Trisha claimed three wickets for India, while Vaishnavi Sharma, Aayushi Shukla, and Parunika Sisodia took two wickets each. Shabnam Shakil also chipped in with a wicket.
Chasing 83 runs to lift the title, opener Gongadi Trisha scored an unbeaten 44 off 33 balls after the other opener, Ga Kamalini, fell for eight. Sanika Chalke also remained unbeaten, scoring 36 off 22 balls.
Trisha finished the World Cup as the highest run-scorer, amassing 309 runs in seven innings at an average of 77.25. Likewise, Vaishnavi Sharma of India topped the list of wicket-takers with 17 wickets in six innings at an average of 4.35.
India entered the final by defeating England in the semifinal by nine wickets, while South Africa edged past Australia by five wickets in the other semifinal.
