Today, people all over India, from common citizens to the President and Prime Minister, celebrated the Indian women’s cricket team’s historic World Cup win, sharing their excitement through WhatsApp statuses, Instagram stories, and news headlines.
But this victory came after years of hard work, struggle, and dedication.
Journey to the World Cup
- 1973 — Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) was formed.
- 1976 — India played their first women’s Test match with West Indies.
- 1978 — India won their first women’s Test match against West Indies, Patna.
- 2005 — Reached their first ODI World Cup final but lost to Australia.
- 2017 — reached the final again but lost to England.
- 2006/07 — WCAI merged with BCCI, giving better support to women’s cricket.
- 2023 — India’s U19 women’s team won the first U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
- 2025 — India hosted the 13th Women’s ODI World Cup and won the title against South Africa.
Women’s cricket in India faced challenges like less visibility, fewer resources, and less recognition than men’s cricket. Despite this, the team kept improving, learning from past setbacks, and growing stronger with better training and support.
Historic 2025 Victory
Yesterday (2nd November 2025), India beat South Africa by 52 runs in the final at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, to win their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup. India scored 298/7 in 50 overs, and South Africa were all out for 246 in 45.3 overs.
Shafali Verma scored 87 runs and took 2 wickets, earning Player of the Match, while Deepti Sharma scored 58 runs and took 5 wickets, becoming Player of the Tournament.
This win ends years of near misses and inspires young girls across India to dream big. It is a proud moment and a turning point for women’s cricket in the country.
