Editorial: Women on top of the world

The story of Indian women’s cricket is one of grit and determination. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team have now crowned it by scripting a new chapter in their inspiring journey of breaking the glass ceiling

It was a moment of pride reminiscent of the historic 1983 World Cup win. If Kapil Dev’s team, then written off as an underdog, humbled the mighty West Indies in the finals and scripted a surprise win more than four decades ago, what their women’s counterparts have just now pulled off is no less momentous. At the stroke of midnight, as the country watched with bated breath, the Indian women’s team made a tryst with history as they defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the Women’s World Cup final at Navi Mumbai and clinched their maiden ICC Trophy. While the 1983 victory inspired an entire generation to dream big and made cricket a viable professional career option, this landmark win carries a special significance as it resulted from years of overcoming challenges, including gender discrimination and inadequate facilities. The story of Indian women’s cricket is one of grit, dogged determination, and consistently breaking the glass ceiling. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team deserve full credit for scripting a new chapter in the journey of women’s cricket. Today’s glorious achievement is bound to inspire generations of girls across the country to take up sports and work hard to excel. The women cricketers, who were once footnotes, have now become the headline. The sport that once overlooked them now belongs to them. What is truly inspirational is that a majority of cricketers in the current team hail from small towns and have overcome numerous challenges to reach this level of excellence.

This triumph was not a result of having unhindered access to world-class facilities, training centres, and manicured outfields, but was built by girls who refused to stop dreaming when the cricket bodies virtually turned them away. Passion for the game became the foundation, while uneven pitches across small towns became the practice nets. For instance, the journey of Harmanpreet Kaur from Punjab’s backyard games to this World Cup trophy is the story of Indian women’s cricket in miniature — improvisation, endurance, and the relentless urge to be taken seriously. If the men’s game grew on infrastructure and institutional support, the women’s grew on intent and perseverance. For years, they played in front of empty stands, often without live broadcasts. Their strides must usher in a new era of sports as athletes like PT Usha, Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal have done in the past. What the World Cup win does for Indian women’s cricket goes beyond the trophy cabinet. The first international women’s World Cup was held in 1973, even before the men’s tournament. It would take India another five years to join the event, and nearly half a century to lift its first cup. For decades, the women’s game was just a side story to the men’s spectacle, never getting the media attention it deserved. Today, that perception has changed, with women turning champions in their own right.

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