India Women's World Cup win signals a new era for cricket

India's win in the International Cricket Council Women’s World Cup 2025 sent the entire nation into a fit of ecstasy and euphoria. The brave girls won the audience with the President and Prime Minister, who both applauded their lion-hearted performance.

The team's gesture of inviting stars of yore like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra, who could not be part of World Cup-winning squads, to share their moment of happiness was so touching and left viewers in goosebumps. Both print and social media are awash with stories about these cricketers, and the nation cannot seem to have enough of them. In short, the entire team is having its moment under the sun; understandable, given the enormity of their achievement.

Many international publications, who do not normally focus on sports, also chose to cover this story. In their view, the win has the potential to be a turning point in the history of women’s cricket in the country and a harbinger of broader societal changes, leading to vast improvements in women's status. While there is no doubt that the home World Cup win would spur more girls to take up cricket and other sports, it is difficult at this stage to foresee this win bringing about a drastic shift in societal relations.

Increased participation
There was an increase in women's participation in cricket in India even before this championship. The real turning point for this sport was the victory against Australia in the 2017 World Cup when Harmanpreet Kaur played a glorious innings of 171. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was able to harness this phenomenon, using its immense infrastructure and reach, to mould a top drawer side.

The fact that two of the members of the present squad, Kranti Goud and Sree Charani, hail from predominantly rural backgrounds in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, stands testimony to the efficient system in place in our country for unearthing and promoting talent in cricket. Hence, BCCI deserves applause and appreciation for this landmark achievement.

The smooth conduct of this championship is yet another feather in the cap of the BCCI, which carried out this task with the exceptional efficiency that has become the hallmark of this organisation.

It was refreshing to see packed houses in most of the matches played by the host side. BCCI did not allow the non-availability of the top stadia- Eden Gardens, Wankhede and Chepauk- and boldly allotted the games to two-tier cities as Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam.

Even the backing out of Bengaluru at the last minute, after the local authorities refused clearance due to the stampede in June, did not faze the BCCI. They quickly moved the games, including the semis and the finals, to Navi Mumbai, where the tournament culminated in an amazing climax.

Star status
Jemimah Rodrigues acquired stardom in the eyes of millions of cricket lovers in India for anchoring the side to an upset win over the highly fancied Australia in the semifinals. The raw emotions she displayed at the end of the match, when she failed to hold back tears even as she thanked God, her parents, and everyone else, will be remembered as much as the splendid unbeaten 127 she scored in that game.

Jemimah started the championship with a duck in the first match and had to face the axe when she failed to open the account on one more occasion. But she came back strongly with a quick-fire half-century in the critical game against New Zealand, where she was asked to bat at number three and she did not look back after that.

In an interview to 'Cricket Monthly' before the tournament, she spoke candidly about the challenges she faced during the formative years. The poise with which she handled the questions revealed her as a cricketer who thought deeply about the game and possessed the skills to articulate her opinions cogently and clearly.

She confided about the difficulties she faced while batting in various positions and the role her colleagues and mentors played in shaping her career. The dilemma she faced as a teenager, when she had to choose between cricket and hockey, another sport she excelled in and was even a member of the state side, was elaborated on.

Instant success
Shafali Verma's success in the final is a tribute not only to her immense capabilities but also to the robust system in place in the country. Shafali made her international debut as a teenage sensation at 15. She remains the youngest player, male or female, to represent India in all three formats of the game.

Amongst the various records she holds is the fastest double century in women's Test cricket. Unfortunately, she suffered a slump in form in 2024, which led to her exclusion from the World Cup squad. A setback of this nature would have broken the heart of a lesser mortal, but Shafali kept playing, first for India A against Australia and then in domestic first-class cricket, where she sharpened her bowling skills as well.

Hence, when Pratika Rawal got injured, Shafali was ready to take over her place without breaking a sweat. The fact that she was match fit and raring to go proved to be crucial in the finals as she had a dream game with both bat and ball and walked away with the “Player of the Match” award in the final.

Young squad
A significant feature of this squad is its predominantly young makeup. Apart from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Sneh Rana, no other player is about 30. Jemimah, Shafali, Kranti, Sree Charani, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur and Radha Yadav are all in their early twenties. Even Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, who look like veterans, have some more years to go before they turn 30. All of them have many more years of international cricket left, which augurs well for Indian cricket.

A word of praise should go to Harmanpreet for leading the side with calm assurance and confidence. Being in charge of a title campaign when the championship is played at home is an extremely daunting task. But Harmanpreet did not let the stress get the better of her, and it was only after the win in the finals that she allowed her pent-up emotions to surface.

The manner in which she rallied the side after three consecutive defeats was exemplary. Her decision to hand over the ball to Shafali in the final, when the game was keenly poised and the third wicket pair of South Africa was making steady progress, was a stroke of brilliance. But at 36, she is no spring chicken and selectors will have to look for a new skipper sooner than later. As the current vice-captain and a very senior player herself, Smriti appears to be the natural successor. In the long run, based on present indications and the maturity displayed, Jemimah looks like a strong candidate to step into the shoes of the captain.

This championship will go down in history as the one that saw a fourth side other than Australia, England and New Zealand win the title. However, even in this moment of joy, we must not forget the fact that there is little to choose between India and Australia, England and South Africa that reached the last four stage. Aussies are definitely the strongest team in the world, and their position is akin to that of West Indies' men's side in its heyday, during the 1970s and early 80s.

South Africa has made rapid strides in the recent past, while England remains a strong side. Though New Zealand is going through a bad phase at present, it has shown time and again that it would be a mistake to underestimate its capacity to stage a comeback. Hence, India cannot afford to rest on their laurels but must keep pushing itself to retain their pole position in the years ahead.

Further, the strong performances of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan in this championship show that the game is spreading its roots and gaining popularity amongst women in other countries in the Indian subcontinent as well. Hence, the coming years may witness higher levels of competition and break the stranglehold of Australia and England forever.

In short, ICC Women’s World Cup of 2025 raises exciting prospects about the future of the game. May the hopes generated by this championship translate into performances on the field and the star of the sport shine even brighter.