Women's World Cup 2025: Deepika Padukone thanks Jemimah Rodrigues for opening up on anxiety

Published - 31 Oct 2025, 17:44 IST | Updated - 31 Oct 2025, 17:54 IST

Indian actress Deepika Padukone has lavished praise on Jemimah Rodrigues for not hesitating to share her battle with depression and anxiety. Jemimah starred in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup with an unbeaten 134-ball 127-run knock against Australia Women to seal an emphatic victory for India in the second semi-final of the Women's World Cup 2025 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy on Thursday.

Deepika shared an Instagram reel of Jemimah from her post-match conference and tagged the middle-order batter while commending her for being so outright in revealing her vulnerable journey, which has included several lows in the past.

Jemimah admitted that she would call her mother and weep her feelings out ahead of the ongoing mega event. She also advised others feeling the same way to not hold back their tears and just confide in people they trust, similar to how she found her parents to be her safe space.

"I'll be very vulnerable here because I know if someone is watching this, they might be going through the same thing. And that's my whole purpose in saying it because nobody likes to talk about their weakness. I was going through a lot of anxiety at the start of the tournament, and even before a few games, I used to call my mom and cry. Cry the entire time, let it all out because when you're going through anxiety, you just feel numb. You don't know what to do. You're trying to be yourself. During this time, my mom and dad supported me a lot," stated Jemimah during the post-match conference, as quoted by NDTV Sports.

For the unversed, even Deepika had previously gone through depressive episodes. The 39-year-old was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2014 after experiencing symptoms like feeling empty, sadness, and exhaustion. She used to feel like this, despite having a successful career and a supportive family as well. Like Jemimah, Deepika also publicly shared her struggles in an attempt to destigmatize the theme.

Jemimah's knock earned her the Player of the Match award in the semi-final. It was her third ODI ton and highest score for India. The sublime innings ensured India now hold the record for the highest successful run-chase in women's ODIs. Her innings comprised 14 fours and a lot of running between the wickets.