When You Get There, It's Worth It: Jemimah Rodrigues With the finals left for the Indian Women's team and Rodrigues to prove their mettle, we look back at her exclusive interview with Entrepreneur India from earlier this year, where Rodrigues speaks about early days, breaking into the first team, cricket for women, and the dreams that still live on.

Jemimah Rodrigues continues to shine on the world stage with her stellar performances at the ICC Women's World Cup India 2025. Her innings of 127 (not out) off 134 balls in an edge-of-the-seat clash against 7-time and current world champions Australia, helped India power through to the tournament's final against South Africa being held tomorrow.

Previously, Rodrigues's knock of 32 (37) also helped India secure a decent total of 247 against Pakistan, which the visitors fell short by 88 runs. She also sits 4th in the tournament's top batters' list with a total of 268 in 7 games, at a strike rate of 67.

With the finals left for the Indian Women's team and Rodrigues to prove their mettle, we look back at her exclusive interview with Entrepreneur India from earlier this year, where Rodrigues speaks about early days, breaking into the first team, cricket for women, and the dreams that still live on.

From Dreams to Cricketing Reality

Jemimah Rodrigues has emerged as one of the most dynamic young cricketers in world cricket. Born in Mumbai in 2000, she started playing the sport with her brothers at the age of four, and has a father who loves the sport equally.

"My dad loved cricket and always encouraged me, and I always loved playing cricket. But there was a point where I started playing hockey also."

Jemimah played for Maharashtra Hockey before stepping into Mumbai cricket and reached a point where she started juggling between the two sports, having to make a tough decision.

"I was 11 at that time when my dad sat and asked to choose between cricket and hockey. He said - I know you want to play both, but it's getting a little tough. So yeah, that's your decision, and we will back you no matter what," says Jemimah.

The 24-year-old remembers tears down her eyes and choosing cricket because she had reached a better level in the sport, compared to hockey.

"I wanted to make it big. Because that's all I dreamt of. Even when I just started playing as a four-year-old."

Cricket is a premier sport in India, and the women's faction of the sport has jumped leaps and bounds over the last few years. Jemimah opines that it has come a long way since she first started, the times when she was the only girl on the field among 500 boys.

"At that time, cricket was not a game for women, and people coming home would say things like- she's a girl, she can't play cricket. And even the shift in the mindset has drastically changed since then. I think if you're good at playing cricket, it doesn't matter if you're a male or a female," says Jemimah.

Her defining moment came after she played her first game for the Mumbai under-19 team at 11 years old. Having gotten out for 26, Jemimah came back strongly with a knock of 81 not out.

"I think that is the most memorable knock for me even till now, because it was my first big knock, which is always special. I would say that this is the defining moment for me. When I scored that first 50 and then I raised my bat to the stands and loved that feeling and thought to myself – this is what I want to do," says Jemimah.

Sport, and especially cricket, has risen to greater heights in the country and has proven to be a successful career path for many youngsters. Jemimah thinks it is very important to have a dream first before setting out because that is where it all started for her.

Jemimah says, "For me, it all started with a dream to play for India when my dad took me to the stadium and I thought, one day I want to play in such a stadium and people come to watch me. I would say do whatever it takes to make the dream come true. Because at the end, you know, it is a lot of sacrifice, a lot of hard work, a lot of tears. But I think when you get there, it's worth it.'