After three consecutive defeats in the group stage, there were doubts about whether the host nation, India, could even make it to the semifinals. But in the end, it was India that made history on home soil. The Indian women’s cricket team tasted their first-ever World Cup victory, with Harmanpreet Kaur becoming the first captain to lead the team to a World Cup title. Before this, India had reached the final twice but had lost both times. This time, Harmanpreet and her team broke that barrier. Having become world champions, the captain’s pledge was clear: she intends to turn this victory into a habit.
After the World Cup, Harmanpreet said, “I wanted to break that barrier. This win was necessary. It’s just the beginning. Now, I want to make winning a habit. I’ve been waiting for this moment. We want to improve even more. This is not the end. It’s just the beginning.”
Harmanpreet struggled to find words to express the joy of winning a World Cup on home soil. Despite losing three consecutive matches, the team still believed in themselves. Harmanpreet said, “We had lost three matches in a row. But even then, we had faith in ourselves. We knew something good was about to happen. Everyone in the team was confident. We worked day and night, playing as one unit.”
During the final, while South Africa were batting, Harmanpreet made a bold decision by handing the ball to Shefali Verma, effectively taking a gamble. It turned out to be a brilliant decision. Shefali took two crucial wickets and brought the team back into the game. Why did Harmanpreet suddenly decide to give Shefali the ball? The captain explained, “Laura and Sune were playing well. Suddenly, my attention turned to Shefali. I saw her standing there, and it felt like a good opportunity to take a chance. I just wanted to give her one over, but I didn’t think she would change the game. She bowled so well that I gave her a few more overs. All credit for that goes to Shefali.”
On the same ground, India had chased down 339 runs against Australia in the semifinals. In the final, the target was 299 runs against South Africa. Still, India remained confident, mainly because of the pitch conditions. Harmanpreet said, “The pitch for this match was not the same as the last one. There was something for the bowlers. I knew that as the game progressed, the pitch would slow down a bit. The spinners would have the advantage. So, even if we didn’t get 300 runs, I wasn’t worried. I knew that with good bowling and fielding, we could win this match. And that’s exactly what we did.”
Harmanpreet also praised Deepti and Shefali for their contributions in the final. Additionally, she acknowledged the hard work of coach Amal Majumdar over the past two years since taking over the role. The captain also thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for providing the team with all the necessary support and resources.