India, Oct. 31 -- Jemimah Rodrigues turned national hero on Thursday after producing a knock for the ages, guiding India past Australia to reach the Women's ODI World Cup final. The young star battled all odds against the seven-time champions, crafting a brilliant century in a record chase. Yet, just a year ago, her journey was far from smooth - she had faced a religious controversy involving her father, which led to the revocation of her gymkhana club membership.

The controversy unfolded in October last year during the Khar Gymkhana Annual General Body Meeting. Jemimah's father, Ivan Rodrigues, had reportedly hosted around 35 gatherings linked to Brother Manuel Ministries over an 18-month period, which were alleged to include religious ...