The 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Final at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, will be remembered as the defining moment for Indian women’s cricket, a night of fulfillment, history, and uncontainable emotion. Harmanpreet Kaur’s India, having navigated heartbreak and hope on home soil, soared past South Africa by 52 runs to clinch their maiden World Cup title. The gravity of this epochal win was palpable as Harmanpreet entered the press conference room with the trophy, her smile illuminating how a billion dreams had just come true. From belief to breakthrough, every word from Harmanpreet resonated with the journey that led to this destiny-defining night.
“I Was Feeling It from the First Ball”
There was no shortage of light-hearted moments in a room heavy with accomplishment. When asked about sharing victory sweets, Harmanpreet replied, “Please give sweets to everyone,” not missing the warmth of camaraderie even under the weight of history. But what soared above all was self-belief. “I was feeling it from the first ball of the match itself. The way our team was playing in the last three games, a lot of things changed for us, especially our self-belief. From the first ball itself, we had self-belief that it doesn’t matter, we knew what we can do as a team”.
Despite losing the toss, her eighth in nine matches this season, Harmanpreet radiated certainty, “Because we didn’t win the toss, so we knew that we had to bat first. So, there are going to be hard conditions for batting. But the credit goes to Smriti (Mandhana) and Shafali (Verma). They handled the first 10 overs very well,”. Choosing presence over pressure, she added, “If we think of a big target, then we will get pressure. The main thing was the way we kept batting, kept playing the game, and somehow score 300 runs on the board, only two runs was short.”
A Dream Delivered: Team and Generational Bonds
This title belonged not just to 15 players, but to every generation that had built Indian women’s cricket. Harmanpreet was visibly moved as she recalled sharing the moment with Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj. “Jhulu di was my biggest support. When I joined the team, she was leading it. She has always supported me in my early days, when I was very raw and didn’t know much about cricket. Playing alongside such legends, having Anjum supported me so much… Both of them mean great support for me. I’m very grateful that I got to share this moment, and it was very emotional. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy”.
Destiny and Determination: The Deepti-Shafali Impact
In the final, the team’s destiny was shaped by the spectacular form of Deepti Sharma (Player of the Tournament, 215 runs and 22 wickets) and Shafali Verma (Player of the Match, 87 off 78 balls and 7-0-36-2 with the ball). “I think, sir, it’s destiny. I really believe in that. When Pratika got injured, everybody was crying. Even before that, Yastika (Bhatia) got injured… This team is very special. They pray a lot for each other. First, Yastika leaving that was heartbreaking. Then Pratika got injured. As soon as Shafali came, we wanted her not to feel that she had just come because of the injury. Pratika was so positive. Everybody took everything positively. Our end goal was this trophy. We have to keep working hard day and night. This is the result of that”.
From Heartbreak to History: Revival and Resilience
India’s campaign was an emotional rollercoaster. Early victories were followed by tough losses to South Africa, Australia, and England. But the win against New Zealand and the epochal semi-final run chase against Australia forged the team’s spirit. Harmanpreet recounted the transformative power of defeat: “The last month has been very interesting. It’s very rare that things don’t go to plan, but you stay so positive. That day (post England defeat), Sir (Amol Muzumdar) spoke, ‘You cannot make the same mistakes again and again, you have to cross that line.’ That night changed a lot for us. We started visualising and meditating. That showed we are here for something. And this time, we have to do it”. Meditation and focus became the bedrock for India’s unshakable mindset.
Tactical Brilliance: Bold Choices in the Final
Harmanpreet’s credentials as a tactician were on display with her gutsy call to bring Shafali Verma into the attack. “As soon as the partnership started, I thought of giving Shafali a try. It could have been risky, but at the same time, I was positive. She showed me that confidence when I was talking to her; two breakthroughs followed. That was a turning point for us”. When asked about fielding nerves during South Africa’s surge (“were you talking to yourself or praying?”), Harmanpreet brushed it off with a smile, “That’s personal, I won’t tell you”.
Mentorship and the Culture of Support
A good team is built not only by players but by its culture. “Sir’s (Amol Muzumdar) contribution in the last two-plus years has been amazing. Everything became stable. He gets a lot of credit for making this team. He made us practice day and night. His contribution has been great. I am really happy that we got the opportunity to work with him”. And in grim phases, when asked what she tells the team during moments of criticism, Harmanpreet spoke of balance: “Criticism is also one of the main things in our life because it brings balance. Otherwise, if everything goes well, you will be overconfident. For me, the most important thing is to keep things balanced. It is the same with teammates. When things are not good, we try to lift that person. It is just about maintaining balance”.
Religious Faith in Teamwork: Seizing the Moment
During South Africa’s comeback in the chase, Harmanpreet’s message was simple: “Keep faith. We really worked hard for this. Opportunities will come, and we have to grab them. ODI cricket is very long. There are many phases. I was just giving one message: keep faith”. Knowing their spinners, Deepti and Charani, were match-winners, India focused on ten good balls, one wicket at a time, rather than scoreboard pressure. “Whenever wickets were coming, we were just talking about it, one, two, three wickets left.”
Smriti Mandhana: Friendship Forged in Finals
Celebration was not just for the team, but for friendships cemented through shared heartbreak. “I played a lot of World Cups with her [Smriti Mandhana]. Every time we lost, we went home, and we used to get lost for a few days. Then we would say, ‘We have to start again from ball one.’ It was heartbreaking. When we found out our venue was DY Patil, Navi Mumbai, we were so happy. We have always played good cricket here. The biggest thing was the crowd, always supportive. As soon as we reached Mumbai, the first thing we said was, ‘We’ve come to our home now, and we’ll just start.’ We didn’t want to look back.”
A Revolution for Indian Women’s Cricket
There were parallels drawn with the 1983 men’s World Cup; now, Harmanpreet’s team has sparked a revolution for women’s cricket. “We have been talking about this for years. Without winning one big tournament, we couldn’t talk about revolution and changes. Fans want to see their favourite team win. We were waiting for this moment. I’m so happy and proud of this team”
Celebrating into the night, Harmanpreet was asked about the festivities: “Celebration will go on all night. And then let’s see what BCCI is planning for us”. India’s champion squad, led by Harmanpreet, the captain who believed from ball one, finally crossed the line, gifting not just a trophy, but a legacy for future generations to carry forward.
Every statement, every record, every emotional note, this was Harmanpreet Kaur’s moment, and Indian cricket’s golden era beginning. The World Cup trophy is home, but the belief, the spirit, and the revolution have only just begun.
Loves all things female cricket