For Harmanpreet Kaur, a woman who has done more for Indian women’s cricket than anyone could have imagined, the victory was deeply emotional. (Getty Images)
NEW DELHI: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur had a quiet night with the coveted ICC World Cup trophy by her side and her hands on it. The Indian women’s cricket team maintained its historic beginnings by winning its first ever World Cup, defeating South Africa by 52 runs to write a golden chapter in the country’s pantheon of sporting achievements on Sunday.More than the win itself, Harmanpreet also sent a powerful message through the words printed on the back of her T-shirt.“Some dreams are shared by a billion people. That’s why cricket is a game for everyone,” Harmanpreet wrote in her caption while sharing a photo of herself wearing a T-shirt and sleeping with the trophy.“Cricket is every gentleman’s game,” read the text on the T-shirt – with “gentleman’s” crossed out.If June 25, 1983 was a watershed moment for Indian men’s cricket – when Kapil’s Devils defeated the mighty West Indies at Lord’s – then November 2, 2025 will be remembered as a pivotal moment for women’s cricket in India.Rohit Sharma, who still bears the scars of November 19, 2023, watched the final from the stands and silently prayed that Harmanpreet Kaur would not meet the same fate.For Harmanpreet, a woman who has done more for Indian women’s cricket than anyone could imagine, the victory was deeply emotional. She knows how much it hurts to lose a final – something she experienced eight summers ago – and her girls didn’t let her down this time.When she grabbed Nadine de Klerk’s offer and stepped on the extra cover, Ian Bishop aptly described the moment as “inspiring a generation”. It couldn’t have been more poetic as AR Rahman’s rendition of “Vande Mataram” rocked the stands.
