India has finally succumbed to the madness of cricket World Cups. After three final defeats in both Tests and ODIs, the nation was able to savor its first ever women's World Cup victory, thanks largely to Harmanpreet Kaur, who lifted the trophy after years of near-misses.
The morning after the night before is indeed true for Navi Mumbai, where thousands of adoring fans turned the DY Patil Stadium into a colosseum of blue. The ground was still heaving when the last India superstar had left the field after a trophy parade, with chaos in the streets surrounding the stadium requiring police assistance and barricades to help filter everyone out safely amid a cacophony of joy.
While this fairytale ending has ignited hope for a dramatic shift in women's cricket, it's clear that there is still work to be done. The tournament itself was far from smooth sailing, with lessons to be learned from its organisation and the choice of venues. The lives of women and girls in India will not change overnight as a result of one cricket match, and they face barriers every day in terms of accessing education, opportunities, and access to sport.
Despite these challenges, this victory has given hope that more success is inevitable, and with it comes more investment and more women, girls, and their families will see what can be achieved if they are given the stage to thrive. The Women's Premier League, the T20 franchise league set up in 2023, has helped accelerate growth, and the demand and attention on the tournament should only grow now.
The journey to glory was not perfect, but it showed what could be possible. A downpour had threatened to spoil the World Cup party in the afternoon, delaying the start of India's showdown with South Africa, but there was no raining on their parade once Deepti Sharma claimed the winning wicket to seal a first World Cup success after three final defeats across both formats.
Queues formed outside the stadium more than 24 hours out from the first ball of the final, stalls and vendors lined the streets selling hats, flags, and shirts with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet's names on them. This is India - a nation that takes very little to get emotions up in a good way or a bad one.
The semi-final against Australia was an all-time classic, chasing a record 339 under the bright lights which reignited the hopes of a nation after they had consigned themselves to disappointment following three group-stage defeats. As for Harmanpreet, she summed it up perfectly - "This is not the end, this is just the beginning."
The morning after the night before is indeed true for Navi Mumbai, where thousands of adoring fans turned the DY Patil Stadium into a colosseum of blue. The ground was still heaving when the last India superstar had left the field after a trophy parade, with chaos in the streets surrounding the stadium requiring police assistance and barricades to help filter everyone out safely amid a cacophony of joy.
While this fairytale ending has ignited hope for a dramatic shift in women's cricket, it's clear that there is still work to be done. The tournament itself was far from smooth sailing, with lessons to be learned from its organisation and the choice of venues. The lives of women and girls in India will not change overnight as a result of one cricket match, and they face barriers every day in terms of accessing education, opportunities, and access to sport.
Despite these challenges, this victory has given hope that more success is inevitable, and with it comes more investment and more women, girls, and their families will see what can be achieved if they are given the stage to thrive. The Women's Premier League, the T20 franchise league set up in 2023, has helped accelerate growth, and the demand and attention on the tournament should only grow now.
The journey to glory was not perfect, but it showed what could be possible. A downpour had threatened to spoil the World Cup party in the afternoon, delaying the start of India's showdown with South Africa, but there was no raining on their parade once Deepti Sharma claimed the winning wicket to seal a first World Cup success after three final defeats across both formats.
Queues formed outside the stadium more than 24 hours out from the first ball of the final, stalls and vendors lined the streets selling hats, flags, and shirts with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet's names on them. This is India - a nation that takes very little to get emotions up in a good way or a bad one.
The semi-final against Australia was an all-time classic, chasing a record 339 under the bright lights which reignited the hopes of a nation after they had consigned themselves to disappointment following three group-stage defeats. As for Harmanpreet, she summed it up perfectly - "This is not the end, this is just the beginning."
! 24 hours before the final, I was sitting at home wondering if India would finally take that elusive Women's World Cup title... and now we're celebrating like crazy 
! But amidst all the chaos, I couldn't help but think about how far women's cricket has come - the talent pool is growing, the crowds are cheering louder, and it's getting more mainstream attention 
. But let's not forget that there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of infrastructure, resources, and opportunities for girls and women who want to play the game 
. I mean, we're talking about millions of young girls in India who are being denied access to basic education because of things like poverty or social inequality... it's a big gap to bridge.
. But at the end of the day, I'm just so happy for India, for Harmanpreet Kaur and all the girls who worked their hearts out to make this happen 
. It's not just about the cricket - it's about the power of sport to bring people together and inspire change 
.
I'm still on cloud nine after India's historic women's World Cup win! 
It's amazing to see how far they've come and how much of a difference Harmanpreet Kaur made in that final match. But let's not get ahead of ourselves - we need to acknowledge the challenges women face in India, especially when it comes to accessing education, opportunities, and sports.
. We can't wait to see more investments come in and more talented players like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet taking center stage! 
The tournament itself wasn't perfect, but it showed us what's possible with hard work and determination.
, and I'm thrilled to see a nation come together like this. It's not just about cricket - it's about community, pride, and hope for a better future 
. So here's to India's women's team: may your journey to glory continue, and may you inspire countless young girls and women to chase their dreams! 
with three main slices: 
- that's India's new confidence boost after winning that World Cup! The nation is buzzing 
.
- that's the Women's Premier League & T20 franchise league set up in 2023. These leagues have helped boost growth & now more women can see what they can achieve on the sports field 
). Let's be real, there's still work to be done on organizing the tournament and making sport accessible to everyone. But seeing all those young girls getting hyped about cricket is the real MVP 
. The Women's Premier League has definitely helped speed up growth and now we're gonna see more women on the field... and that's a beautiful thing 
. But for real, the road to success wasn't smooth sailing, they faced some tough challenges too 
. The organisation & venue choices were kinda meh & we still have a loooot of work to do in terms of empowering women & girls in India 
. And I'm super stoked that the Women's Premier League has been set up 
! It's India all over again - one day u r on top of the world & the next u r back down 
. But seriously, it's amazing to see the nation come together like that after all the disappointment 
. I don’t usually comment but... I wish the Indian team all the best for their future tournaments, and I hope this momentum keeps going 
. But let's be real, this isn't just about Harmanpreet Kaur, it's about all the girls who've been grinding for years to get to this point 
! It was a wild ride watching those matches from my couch, I mean, Navi Mumbai was HYPED 
! But seriously, it's about time they broke through and gave the girls a chance to shine. Harmanpreet Kaur is a total rockstar, right? 
. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, and it's clear that cricket is more than just a sport in India - it's a way of life 
.
We need to acknowledge the hard work and sacrifices made by the players, coaches, and officials who've been working towards this moment for years. It's not just about one team winning; it's about the progress we're making in women's cricket and inspiring a new generation of athletes 
. Long live Indian cricket! 
but at the same time lets not forget about the bigger picture here - there's still so much work to be done in terms of equality and opportunities for women and girls in india they deserve way more than just a cricket match 
fingers crossed we see even more growth and success in the years to come 
especially now that they've got their first women's World Cup win under their belt! I mean, we can celebrate this victory all we want, but at the end of the day, there are still so many barriers for young girls in India when it comes to accessing opportunities and sports. We need more programs like the Women's Premier League to help level the playing field, but we also need to think about what that means on a larger scale 
. And I've got to say, Harmanpreet Kaur is a total rockstar 
! That quote at the end... "This is not the end, this is just the beginning" ...gives me chills 
Harmanpreet Kaur is a total boss on that field 
. There are still so many issues to tackle, from education to access to opportunities 
. Can we celebrate without ignoring the problems that need fixing? 
i was in Navi Mumbai when it happened and man, the energy of the crowd was electric 
with people going wild 
who still face so many barriers when it comes to accessing education, opportunities, and sports 
. but honestly, seeing the excitement on Harmanpreet's face after winning the World Cup was just the best thing ever 
️.
– there's still so much work to be done to break down barriers and support girls and women in accessing education, opportunities, and sports 
. The Women's Premier League has been a game-changer