When Rodrigues wandered across to meet incoming batter Harmanpreet in the 10th over of their reply, India had a mountain to climb.
An excellent Australia review had done for Smriti Mandhana, caught behind down the leg side, and the shine had been taken off India’s bright start.
Between that moment and when she sank to the turf in tears once victory was secured, Rodrigues was a picture of calm.
With her captain slow to get started it was left to Rodrigues to seize the initiative and she did so superbly.
The 25-year-old right-hander made it to 75 going at a run-a-ball and hit 10 boundaries before switching roles once Harmanpreet was set.
While her captain powered on, Rodrigues did not hit a boundary between the 28th and 43rd overs but was not fazed, making only one error – on 82 – in that time.
An ill-advised sweep off King sent the ball high into the leg side, and bowler and wicketkeeper went after it before Healy shelled the simplest of catches.
It was a moment reminiscent of Herschelle Gibbs’ infamous drop of Steve Waugh at the 1999 World Cup, but given how dialled-in Rodrigues was it seems unlikely she followed Waugh’s lead and asked Healy how it felt to drop the World Cup.
Instead, she knuckled down and rediscovered her free-scoring form and, with the help of Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and latterly Amanjot, ensured the chase did not go down to wire.
With Rodrigues heading into a World Cup final as India’s hero, it is hard to believe she was dropped after two ducks early in the tournament.
An unbeaten 127 runs later, her redemption is now complete and should India triumph on Sunday, she and her team-mates will join the country’s cricketing immortals.
