India’s women’s cricket team scripted history by clinching their first senior-level ICC title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final of the 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on November 2, 2025.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur became the first Indian captain to lift an ICC trophy at home, ending a long wait since the tournament began on September 30 across India and Sri Lanka. In an insightful News18 interview, former India captain Anjum Chopra reflects on this pivotal moment, celebrating the team’s generational bond, Harmanpreet’s evolution, and the roadmap ahead amid upcoming challenges like the WPL 2026 and T20 World Cup.
Eight weeks on, the victory feels as fresh as ever, with Chopra vividly recalling the electric atmosphere. She describes the raw joy of Harmanpreet’s match-winning catch, exclaiming, “It was just a celebratory moment. It was excitement, it was elation, it was happiness… immense happiness and such a lot of excitement.” Chopra, alongside legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, spontaneously joined the victory lap from the broadcasting studio, lifting the trophy in a tearful tribute to the pioneers who built the foundation.
Key performances defined the campaign, from Jemimah Rodrigues’ maiden ODI World Cup century (127* off 134 balls, with 14 boundaries) and Harmanpreet’s 89 off 88 in the semi-final chase of 339 against Australia on October 30 at DY Patil, securing Player of the Match honours, to Shafali Verma’s all-round heroics in the final. Harmanpreet aggregated 260 runs at a strike rate of 89.04 and an average of 32.50 across 9 matches, including two half-centuries.
Chopra highlights the unique intergenerational connection in women’s cricket, crediting shared struggles and humility. “Generations before me played, if they hadn’t played, hadn’t started, then we also wouldn’t be playing,” she notes, praising Harmanpreet’s growth from an “angry match-winner” in her early days to a tactically astute leader. This bond, she says, stems from grassroots memories, like early-morning training in Chennai or Kolkata, keeping veterans and youngsters united, unlike some disconnects elsewhere.
With India now world champions despite three group-stage losses, Chopra urges building depth beyond the playing XI. She envisions 18 players challenging for spots through solid performances, preparing for the T20 World Cup in England and Wales (June 12 to July 5, 2026) and the home T20I series against Sri Lanka (December 21-30, 2025). Dismissing captaincy change talks, she asserts, “I feel there is no need for any changes; make that chain so strong that it cannot be broken.”
The WPL looms large, with Harmanpreet retained by the Mumbai Indians for ₹2.50 crore ahead of the fourth edition (January 9 to February 5, 2026) across DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, and Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. MI, inaugural 2023 champions under Harmanpreet, won again in 2025, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) broke their drought in 2024; Delhi Capitals finished runners-up all three times despite topping the tables in the league stages.
Chopra sees the World Cup boosting the ecosystem, flooding social media with Harmanpreet celebrations and drawing unprecedented attention. For sustainability, she stresses elevating domestic talent to match international standards before expanding teams, ensuring the “Indian product” thrives. This win, she believes, shifts focus to the game as the ultimate face, with players sustaining momentum through consistent excellence.
(Quotes sourced from News18)
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