India won the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup title by defeating South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This marked the third time in both the men’s and women’s Cricket World Cups where a team lifted the trophy despite losing three matches.
This rare feat has occurred twice twice in the men’s ODI World Cup and once in the women’s ODI World Cup.
This first instance came in the 1992 Men’s ODI World Cup, when Pakistan lost their opening match to the West Indies by 10 wickets. They then defeated Zimbabwe by 53 runs, while their clash against England in Adelaide ended in a draw. Pakistan later lost to India by 43 runs and to South Africa by 20 runs – their third defeat in the group stage. From there, Pakistan made a stunning comeback, winning three consecutive matches against Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand to qualify for the semi-finals. In the semifinal, they once again beat New Zealand by 4 wickets and went on to defeat England in the final to claim their maiden World Cup title.
The pattern repeated in the 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup, where England lifted their first-ever World Cup after a thrilling final against New Zealand, decided on the basis of boundary count.
England started with a convincing 104-run win against South Africa, but then suffered defeats against Pakistan by 14 runs, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Despite the setbacks, they bounced back strongly, defeating India and New Zealand in their last two group matches to reach the semifinals. In the semifinal, England beat Australia by 8 wickets and later triumphed over New Zealand in the unforgettable Lord’s final.
The latest instance occurred at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, marking the first time in history that a women’s team won the title despite losing three matches in the tournament. Team India began their campaign with a 59-run victory against Sri Lanka and an 88-run win against Pakistan. However, they then suffered three consecutive defeats against South Africa, Australia, and England – putting their semifinal hopes in jeopardy.
India bounced back with a crucial 53-run win over New Zealand, while their final group-stage match against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. In the semifinals, India defeated Australia by 5 wickets and then beat South Africa by 52 runs in the final to lift their maiden Women’s World Cup title.
