Every generation has a moment that changes the rules. For Indian cricket, this was it: the Women’s World Cup win. For too long, women played a game that wasn’t fully theirs to own. Today, they have claimed it. This is her game, and India is finally watching.
It has been over a week since Harmanpreet Kaur’s team lifted the cup, but joy is still afresh. Many would say the result is just an extension of men’s achievement, but it came at a time when women’s cricket needed this result. The efforts of past Indian cricketers paid off, who once played without pay, without recognition, sometimes even without family support, but with unshakeable belief. Watching those tricolour flags wave at the DY Patil Stadium, with stands packed, it was impossible not to feel the weight of history.
For years, Indian women’s cricket lived in the shadows. Matches were played on half-empty grounds, domestic tournaments barely reported, and victories tucked into the inside pages of newspapers. The team’s 2017 run to the World Cup final had briefly stirred hope, but the system soon fell back into complacency. That is why this 2025 triumph feels different, because it has come despite all odds, and because it feels permanent. There is a sense that this win cannot be brushed aside. It has forced the country to pay attention.
The women’s game in India still runs on uneven ground. Infrastructure remains patchy. Only a few states, like Maharashtra and Karnataka, as also the Railways, have consistent training systems. In smaller centres, many girls struggle for a proper turf wicket, let alone a fitness coach or physiotherapist. The difference between facilities for boys and girls is staggering. Even today, several domestic players borrow kits or pay their way to tournaments. In Goa, too, cricketers see the difference.
It’s important this victory doesn’t remain a headline but becomes a roadmap. The BCCI has taken commendable steps with the Women’s Premier League, but policies on paper are not the same as opportunities on the ground. For women’s cricket to grow, it must trickle down. Schools, clubs, and state associations must be part of this movement. Every district that boasts of a cricket academy for boys should have one for girls too. Only then can this World Cup be remembered as a beginning, not an exception.
Equally crucial is how society responds. Indian sport has often celebrated its women only in isolation: a Sindhu here, a Mary Kom there, and a Mirabai lifting our hearts for a few weeks. But what follows is silence. The women’s game needs consistency of coverage, of funding, of respect. Broadcasters and sponsors must stop treating women’s cricket as a charity cause and see it for what it truly is: a growing force capable of drawing crowds and emotions in equal measure.
More than anything, this win belongs to the young girls who now dare to dream. Somewhere in a Goan village or a Delhi suburb, a little girl may be holding a cricket bat, whispering Harmanpreet’s or Jemimah Rodrigues’ name under her breath. For her, this is no longer fantasy. When matched with opportunity, dreams can change destinies. And in a state where football is preferred, perhaps this moment could spark something new. Goa has produced talent, but women’s cricket here still needs infrastructure, tournaments, and visibility. Maybe this win will encourage and give young girls a reason to step on the pitch without hesitation or apology.
Cricket in India needs a purpose. The women’s team has done its part. Now, the system must respond with the same commitment.
