India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said her team's breakthrough Women's World Cup triumph on Sunday was "just the beginning" as they beat South Africa by 52 runs to win the tournament for the first time.

Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma starred with both bat and ball to propel India to the title in front of a jubilant home crowd at Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium.

Hosts India posted 298-7 and then bowled South Africa out for 246 in 45.3 overs with spinner Sharma taking five wickets after earlier contributing a vital run-a-ball 58 in the middle order.

Opener Verma top-scored with 87 as India posted a challenging total after they were put in to bat in a final delayed two hours by rain.

South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt hit a valiant 101 but her departure off Sharma raised the noise at the 45,000

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