Jemimah Rodrigues Uninstalled WhatsApp Before World Cup Final — ‘Random People Got My Number

Jemimah Rodrigues revealed how the emotional roller-coaster of the Women’s World Cup semi-final left her mentally drained and unexpectedly thrust into an intense spotlight. After her match-winning knock, her phone began exploding with calls and messages—far beyond anything she had experienced before.

She said “random people got my number,” and the flood of notifications became so overwhelming that she couldn’t focus. According to her, nearly a thousand WhatsApp messages from unfamiliar numbers poured in overnight. She recalled her phone “kept buzzing and buzzing” at a time when her mind was already occupied with the tense moments of the semi-final.

Despite India reaching the final and her innings receiving nationwide praise, she reminded herself that the job wasn’t done yet. “Yes, I played a knock. Yes, we won. Yes, India was in the final. But we still had a World Cup final to win,” she explained.

Forced Digital Detox Before the Final

The constant noise from her phone became too much to bear, and Rodrigues realised she needed to disconnect completely if she wanted to stay focused for the biggest match of her career. She admitted that every incoming buzz—whether she read the message or not—added to the pressure she was feeling. “Even if I was not reading the message, it was just buzzing,” she said, explaining how it was impossible to calm her mind with the phone constantly lighting up.

Eventually, she decided to uninstall WhatsApp entirely. Before doing so, she only informed “4–5 close ones” who might need to contact her urgently. She emphasized that the decision was not out of disrespect, but because she wanted to prepare for the final without distractions. She stayed away from all social media during this period, except for one required post-match update, and completely cut off from outside noise until the tournament was over.

Checking Social Media Only After the Tournament

After the final ended and her responsibilities on the field were complete, Rodrigues finally logged back into her apps. What she saw stunned her—her entire feed was overflowing with posts, reels, and stories celebrating her semi-final performance. She described it as a surreal moment, saying, “I’ve never seen such a sight, even till now, just randomly scrolling Instagram and suddenly my video or something comes up.”

She added that almost everything she came across online seemed to be discussing her innings or India’s journey to the title. While the attention was immense, Rodrigues expressed how grateful and humbled she was by the outpouring of love—but she stood by her decision to stay disconnected when it mattered most.