India played the tournament's best cricket for nearly six weeks but it was the familiar sight of Australia celebrating with the trophy as fireworks exploded overhead when the 13th edition of the World Cup came to a close on Sunday.
Many months into his retirement from T20I and Test format, the 38-year-old right-hander on Tuesday said he is getting used to sitting at home and watching the action unfold on television instead of being part of it.
All-round performances from Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma were the crowning jewels for the team in the title clash.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led India will be playing an ODI World Cup final for the third time, having finished runners-up in 2005 and 2017 to Australia and England, respectively. This will be South Africa's maiden appearance in the final.
Every player in this team is hungry for success: Babar Azam
Third-placed India close in on England in latest Women's ODI rankings update
The ICC top brass is likely to finalise the hybrid model modalities for the Champions Trophy during a virtual meeting with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday, it has been learnt.
The Proteas' outstanding form over past 12 months earned them the ultimate reward in limited-overs cricket.
Images from the ICC Women's World Cup match between India and South Africa in Christchurch on Sunday.
Seeking to continue their confident start to the tournament, a well-balanced India will begin as firm favourites despite facing a tricky Bangladesh in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup, in Bulawayo, on Saturday.
Sutherland, Gardner sparkle as Australia outplay England by six wickets
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat on Wednesday presented the ICC ODI Shield to Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland in recognition of the team being ranked number one in the 50-over World Cup.
Six months after Afghanistan qualified for its maiden appearance in the Cricket World Cup, its success story continues to make waves and the strife-torn country has now entered into the main ODI rankings table for the first time.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again threw her weight behind Sourav Ganguly, saying the former India captain should have been the International Cricket Council president by now and warned, in her trademark style that "it's not that easy to stop him."
A Test match in India usually starts at 9:30 am and the day's play ends at 4:30 pm, while the game in Guwahati will begin at 9 am and end at 4 pm.
With rain forecast for match day, the question looms large: could the World Cup final lineup be decided by the clouds?
Ambati Rayudu picked Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India's best ever captain ahead of the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev.
David Young, who was with England during their victorious 2019 World Cup campaign, has rejoined the side for the T20 World Cup.
Jemimah Rodrigues struck a sensational century as hosts India reached the ICC Women's World Cup Final with a magical run-chase against Australia
India to play against England and Netherlands in World Cup warm-ups
India have not beaten Australia in ICC knockouts matches since winning the 2011 World Cup quarter-final.
Pakistan's hopes of an automatic World Cup qualification got tougher after plummeted to their lowest-ever rating of 86 following their five-match ODI series loss against England.
USA captain Monank Patel reflects on sharing the Wankhede with Jasprit Bumrah, his move to the US, cricket's rise in America and leading a diverse team at the T20 World Cup.
'Now, the sport has the opportunity to transcend barriers -- of gender, of perception, of accessibility.'
India's World Cup-winning team was built on trust and role clarity, feels dashing keeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who was assigned the finisher's role by head coach Amol Muzumdar.
Captain Alyssa Healy struck a magnificent unbeaten 113 to lead Australia to a crushing 10-wicket win over Bangladesh, virtually sealing his side's semifinal spot in the Women's World Cup, in Visakhapatnam, on Thursday.
It's good, pressure is not only around cricket but also for World Cup final tickets: Harmanpreet
India vice-captain Shubman Gill dethroned Pakistan's Babar Azam from the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI Rankings for batters on the back of his strong showing against England in the recent home series.
Dawid Malan, England's lone soldier in a disastrous World Cup campaign, feels the match against Pakistan on Saturday could be his "last" ODI.
Sachin Tendulkar, an enduring icon of the game, entered the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad with the trophy to mark the beginning of the ODI competition.
Venkatesh Prasad described the meeting with the two leaders as "extremely positive", saying the aim is to bring back international cricket and IPL to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Images from the World Cup match between South Africa and England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
At just 14 years old, Suryavanshi is already one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the world, having first made headlines with an electrifying 35-ball century in the Indian Premier League's 2025 season.
The great Ricky Ponting expressed confidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's abilities despite their poor showing with the bat in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.
For spin great Neetu David it was a culmination of a lifelong dream -- to see the India women's team finally end their wait for a World title.
India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill signed off a defining 2025 with a message of gratitude and resolve
England still top team in ODIs, but only just
This is India's fourth ODI World Cup final.
Aaron Finch delivered a verdict in favour of his side as they prepare to take on a Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli-powered India during a three-match ODI series at home
McMillan appointed White Ferns' batting, fielding coach ahead of World Cup