Indian Women’s Cricket: A Dream Realized, A New Era Begins

 Indian Women’s Cricket: A Dream Realized, A New Era Begins

Dr B.S.Chakravarthy 03/11/2025

When Kapil Dev’s team lifted the World Cup in 1983, Indian cricket entered a new era. That victory transformed cricket from merely a sport into a way of life in India. The arrival of legends like Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Sehwag, Dhoni, Virat, and Rohit Sharma turned cricket into folklore. It grew into a mighty tree, overshadowing all other sports. But women’s cricket had been waiting for that defining moment. Yesterday, that moment arrived. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team lifted the World Cup trophy and made history.

As the great Billie Jean King once said, “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” The legends who came before had been playing, fighting, and believing. Shanta Rangaswami, Diana Edulji, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, and our Telugu girl Mithali Raj worked tirelessly for decades. Their sacrifice, dedication, and pure love for the game laid the foundation for Indian women’s cricket. They faced countless challenges, lack of opportunities, and struggled for recognition. The glory they deserved, the crowning moment they worked for, remained elusive. Yesterday, they witnessed their dream come alive before their eyes. Sitting in stadiums and in front of television screens, with tears streaming down their faces, they saw the trophy they had chased for so long finally coming home.

The turning point came in November 2006 when BCCI absorbed the Women’s Cricket Association of India, which had governed women’s cricket since 1973. This merger, mandated by the ICC following the integration of the International Women’s Cricket Council into the ICC in 2005, proved transformational. The BCCI took control of funding, selection processes, and organizational structure. What followed was a systematic transformation. Infrastructure improved dramatically. Professional training became accessible. Players received financial security. International exposure increased manifold. The change from WCAI’s limited resources to BCCI’s robust support system strengthened Indian women’s cricket brick by brick. Yesterday’s result was the reward for that investment, that faith, that commitment made nearly two decades ago.

This team, built around Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, beautifully blends youth and experience. Shafali Verma wasn’t in the original squad. When Pratika Rawal got injured in a meaningless game, opportunity knocked on Shafali’s door. The nineteen-year-old dragon seized it with both hands. She delivered with both bat and ball when it mattered most. Muhammad Ali famously said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” Shafali had prepared in domestic circuits, in remote places, away from the spotlight. When her moment came, she was ready.

Deepti Sharma emerged as the true all-rounder this tournament desperately needed. She strengthened the middle order with the bat, claimed crucial wickets with the ball, and took spectacular catches in the field. Just as Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, and Yuvraj Singh turned tournaments with their all-round brilliance, Deepti carried her team on her shoulders. A great allrounder doubles a team’s strength. Deepti proved that truth once again. As Viv Richards said, “I believe in playing with your instincts and with your heart.” Deepti played with both, and her heart never wavered.

Jemimah Rodrigues’ semifinal performance will be etched in history forever. When the team seemed out of control, when pressure mounted beyond measure, she stood alone and guided India to victory. Sleepless nights haunted her. The uncertainty of a permanent spot in the team troubled her mind. But talent always finds its day. Jemimah’s day arrived at the perfect moment. Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” Jemimah’s journey echoes that spirit. She failed, she learned, she conquered.

Smriti Mandhana, Renuka Singh, and Shreyanka Patil provided consistency throughout the tournament. Their courage and skill formed the backbone of the team. These players are the pillars of Indian women’s cricket’s future. The responsibility to achieve many more victories rests on their capable shoulders. Making victory a habit is their goal. Yesterday’s triumph is the first step on that journey. Serena Williams wisely noted, “I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” This team has learned to recover, to fight back, to never give up.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy deserves special mention. Usually emotional and expressive, she led this tournament with remarkable calmness and maturity. She made the right decisions at critical moments, rotated her bowlers brilliantly, and shuffled her fielders with precision. When the team needed her, she led from the front with both bat and ball. She became a rock-solid captain. Mithali Raj once said about leadership, “When you are leading a side, you have to think about the collective good.” Harmanpreet embodied that philosophy perfectly.

The fitness level of this team is extraordinary. Their diving, catching, and running between wickets meet world-class standards. Along with batting and bowling skills, they added fielding as the crucial third dimension. Creating run-outs, taking boundary-line catches, saving single runs – these contributions strengthened the team immensely. In modern cricket, fielding is not optional but essential. The Indian women’s team understood this completely. Jonty Rhodes, the fielding legend, always believed, “Fielding is an attitude, and we must attack every ball.” This team attacked every opportunity.

The pioneering warriors Shanta Rangaswami, Diana Edulji, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, and Mithali Raj built the foundation for this day. They fought throughout their careers for opportunities, recognition, and proper facilities. Their sacrifice and dedication made today possible. Without their struggle, Indian women’s cricket wouldn’t be here. Pure passion and immense love for the sport drove them forward. They are the pathfinders, the inspiration. When they saw that trophy yesterday, the joy and emotion filling their hearts were beyond words. Jhulan Goswami beautifully expressed it: “This victory is not just for this team, it’s for every girl who dreamt of playing cricket.”

Cricket is a team game. The philosophy of one for all and all for one is cricket’s soul. Indian culture and tradition teach the same values. Great victories are possible only with team spirit. Yesterday’s victory belongs not to one player but to eleven warriors, the support staff, coaches,

BCCI, and millions of fans. This collective effort bore fruit in the form of the World Cup. As Rahul Dravid said, “When you play for the team, the team should come first. Personal achievements should be secondary.”

The question arises whether women’s cricket will expand like men’s cricket did after 1983. Reaching the same level as men’s cricket will be challenging. But this victory will elevate women’s cricket to new heights. Fans, sponsors, and media attention will increase significantly. Young girls will find inspiration. Girls holding cricket bats and dreaming will now believe they can achieve their goals. Cricket will gain more popularity across the country and around the world. It will spread across all sections and all fields.

Yesterday’s victory is not merely winning a trophy. It represents the realization of generations of dreams. It is the culmination of decades of struggle. It provides inspiration to millions of girls. It marks a new chapter in Indian sports. It sends a message to let daughters, sisters, and girls play sports freely. It proves that sports know no gender. It marks the beginning of a golden era for Indian sports.

India has always been proud of its daughters. In the Olympics and other sports, Indian women have brought countless medals and honors to the nation. The same story repeated in cricket. The men’s team has won the World Cup twice since 1983. The women’s team has now won their first World Cup. This is only the first step. Many more victories await in the future. Harmanpreet beautifully said after the win, “This is for every girl who was told she couldn’t play cricket, who fought against all odds to chase her dreams.”

This is a moment to take our hats off and salute. These girls have created history. They will inspire generations to come. Their names will be written in golden letters in Indian cricket history. Harmanpreet, Smriti, Deepti, Jemimah, Shafali, Renuka, Shreyanka, and all the others are true champions. They didn’t just win a cricket match. They won the hearts of millions of girls. Congratulations to them, to their predecessors, to BCCI, to the coaches, support staff, and fans.

Mithali Raj, the legend who paved the way, said it best: “The key is to believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams.” This team believed. They never gave up. And they conquered.

As Sachin Tendulkar tweeted after the victory, “What a phenomenal achievement! This team has shown courage, skill, and determination. They have made the entire nation proud.”

This is not the end but merely the beginning. Indian women’s cricket is now ready to scale new peaks. The energy and confidence born from this victory will pave the way for many more triumphs in the future. Indian women’s cricket is no longer just a sport. It is a movement. A revolution. An inspiration.

Cricket, as they say, is a great leveler. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what your background is, or what challenges you faced. What matters is the fire in your heart and the dream in your eyes. These women had both. They burned with passion, they dreamed with their eyes open, and they delivered when it mattered most.

The journey from Shanta Rangaswami to Harmanpreet Kaur has been long and arduous. But every step was worth it. Every tear, every sacrifice, every moment of doubt led to this glorious day. As Virat Kohli said after the win, “Incredibly proud of this team. They have inspired millions and shown what dedication and teamwork can achieve.”

To the young girls watching yesterday’s match, remember this: your gender is not your limitation, it is your strength. Your dreams are not too big, the world was too small in its thinking. This team has broken those barriers. They have shown that with hard work, dedication, and belief, nothing is impossible.

To the pioneers who came before, your efforts were not in vain. Every boundary you scored in empty stadiums, every wicket you took when nobody was watching, every sacrifice you made when the world looked away – it all mattered. You built the road that this team traveled to glory.

Indian women’s cricket has arrived. Not as an afterthought, not as a footnote, but as a force to be reckoned with. The World Cup is just the beginning. The best is yet to come. As this team showed us, when talent meets opportunity, when preparation meets the moment, when belief meets action, magic happens.

Hats off, girls. You made a billion people proud. You made history. You made dreams come true. Long live Indian women’s cricket!