India, June 21 -- As India dreams of another World Cup triumph at the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England, 25-year-old batter Jemimah Rodrigues continues to do what she does best - play fearless cricket, smile through pressure and rise to the occasion. But while stadiums erupt in applause for her performances, there is one approval that matters most: praise from her father, Ivan Rodrigues. "Not all heroes wear capes. My dad is my hero. He has led by example, showing me how to dream big, work hard and live a life of faith in God. He has made me the player I am today and I love him a lot," says Jemimah. On Father's Day today, Ivan has a message for parents everywhere: "Don't try to live your dreams vicariously through your children. Let them discover their passion, find what drives them and stand by them through their journey. Do whatever it takes to support them in achieving their dreams, whatever they may be." For Jemimah, he says, his opinion matters more than public praise. "You can ask Jemimah - it doesn't matter even if the whole world praises her. But when her dad praises her, it means everything to her," says Ivan, his voice cracking with emotion. Having played both father and coach in her life, Ivan, a Mumbai-based cricket coach who runs his own academy in Juhu, says he has always kept the two roles separate: "On the field, I am her coach. She has to follow the same discipline and seriousness as every other student. But once we get home, the father takes over. I tell her, 'Don't worry, beta. You are the best'." The father in him often takes over during her toughest moments. One such instance came during the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, when Jemimah bounced back from being dropped for the group-stage match against England to score an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls against Australia in the semi-final. Recalling that setback, Ivan says, "She came home broken under the weight of the pressure. But there's one thing I've always taught her: 'Walk like a king. Never droop down.' To have the lion's share, have a lion's heart." He credits their shared faith for helping her bounce back: "That night, she went to church and broke down. She said, 'Every time I speak about how God has lifted me up, today I have nothing to say. I'm totally broken. I don't even know if I'll be in the team tomorrow.' Soon after, the squad was announced and she was back in the playing XI." Ivan also often reflects on the sacrifices behind her success. "Our church had a basement, so I laid an Astro Turf mat there. After all the church activities ended, we would practise at 1am and return home around 2.30am." At a time when women's cricket received little attention in India, Ivan also had to educate himself about the sport. "Jemimah was dominating age-group cricket, but I didn't even know who Mithali Raj was or who captained the Indian women's team. So I travelled to Guntur to watch Mithali and Harmanpreet Kaur play for Railways as I wanted to understand the level my daughter needed to reach." But what makes Ivan proud has little to do with cricket. "She is very grounded," he says. Today, as the cricketer prepares for another World Cup campaign, Ivan says the dream is still unfolding: "She is a world champion, but there is still so much more to achieve."...