India Women have been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year 2026 at the Laureus Awards following their historic triumph at the Women’s Cricket World Cup in November 2025. This momentous victory marked India’s first ever ODI World Cup titlethus ending a decade of near misses in the tournament.
The nomination puts India alongside elite teams such as England Women’s Football Team, European Ryder Cup Team, McLaren Mastercard Formula 1, Oklahoma City Thunder and Paris Saint-Germain. The accolades from the Laureus World Sports Awards highlight India’s excellence, resilience and contribution to women’s sports on the global stage.
The nominations were announced at a ceremony in Madrid on Tuesday. The winners will be decided by the prestigious Laureus World Sports Academy and will be revealed at a gala event at the stunning Cibeles Palace in Madrid, where the best achievements in international sport are celebrated.
Laureus nomination for World Team of the Year
- England Women’s Football Team — Great Britain
- European Ryder Cup Team — Europe
- Indian Women’s Cricket Team — India
- McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team — Great Britain
- Oklahoma City Thunder — USA
- Paris Saint Germain – France
Courtesy: Laureus Awards 2026
HOW INDIA BECAME WORLD CHAMPIONS
India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup campaign has been a roller coaster ride. They started on a high note with convincing wins over Sri Lanka by 59 runs via the DLS method and Pakistan by 88 runs, with strong batting and disciplined bowling setting the tone for their tournament ambitions.
However, their momentum faltered when they suffered three successive defeats against Australia, South Africa and England, exposing their vulnerability against top teams and testing their resilience.
A major setback came when in-form Pratika Rawal, who had scored 308 runs in the tournament, was ruled out of the tournament due to a serious ankle injury sustained while fielding against Bangladesh. Shafali Verma was brought in as her replacement.
Despite these challenges, India regrouped with remarkable composure in the knockout stages. They chased a record target against Australia in the semi-finals and then clinched their first ever Women’s World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Shafali Verma played with 87 runs and two wickets while Deepti Sharma contributed 58 runs and five wickets. The triumph captured national attention and inspired a new generation of female cricketers.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
March 3, 2026 6:24 PM IST
Tune in
