Setting the Field — How India’s Women’s Team Changed the Game Forever

Oooh, It's a game changer, the ripples are already in motion. When the final wicket fell of the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was done and the roar of the crowd at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai exploded across the nation, a door opened. Not just a trophy being lifted — but a new horizon for girls (and boys) in India taking sport seriously, parents realising that a daughter’s dream of batting, bowling, fielding is as valid as a son’s.The win by our national women’s cricket team was more than a match-victory. It was a campaign of hope, grit, self-belief, setbacks, comebacks — and ultimately, a doorway for the next generation.

Image Courtesy: Reuters

From early knocks to the summit

Let’s rewind a bit: the journey of the India women’s cricket team (IWCT) has been long and winding.

• India made the World Cup final twice before this win — in 2005, losing to Australia by 98 runs.

• Then in 2017 they again reached the final and lost to England by 9 runs.

• So by 2025, this was their third chance at the big prize — and for the first time, they grabbed it.

  
  

Those earlier finals weren’t just “we lost” stories — they were building blocks. Each heartbreak taught lessons: of belief, infrastructure, visibility. And each time young girls watching those matches saw themselves on the boundary line thinking: “If they can get here, maybe I can too.”

Real stories of struggle behind the scenes

To make the summit, someone has to climb. And for women’s cricket in India, the climb was steep — limited resources, less attention, fewer fans, fewer pathways. But the athletes kept at it.

• Think of the pioneers: players who juggled jobs, studies, travel across India, as women’s sport often meant long bus rides, minimal pay, uncertain careers.

• A special mention to players like Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami who for years raised the bar and the profile of women’s cricket in India. Their sacrifices set the stage.

• And then the young stars of 2025: the tail-enders, the net bowlers, the coaches who quietly plotted strategy, the parents who let daughters skip tuition to stay out late at the nets.

  
  

One story to highlight: Jemimah Rodrigues revealed that before her match-winning century in the semifinal she was dealing with serious anxiety and self-doubt. She said she “cried almost every day” before matches in the lead-up. That level of vulnerability + courage? That is material for young girls to see: it’s okay to feel small, it’s okay to struggle — but the fight is in choosing to step onto the field anyway.

For parents reading this: when you cheer a daughter who wants to play cricket or any sport, you’re doing more than supporting a hobby. You’re helping her shape identity, resilience, self-worth. The story of Indian women’s cricket tells us that the path may not have been smooth, but each push matters.

The breakthrough tournament – key stats and moments

In 2025, everything aligned for India. Here are some of the standout moments and figures that young players (and parents) should remember — they are not just number-games, they’re proof that big things can happen.

« India Women – Past ODI World Cup Final Stages »

Year	Stage reached	Outcome
2005	Final	Lost to Australia
2017	Final	Lost to England
2025	Champions	Defeated South Africa – First title

« India Women – Key 2025 World Cup Performers »

Player	Role	Highlight stat
Smriti Mandhana	Batter	434 runs in the tournament (avg 54.25) – highest by an Indian in a single Women’s ODI WC edition.
Jemimah Rodrigues	Batter	127 * in the semi-final, anchoring a record chase of 339 vs Australia.
Deepti Sharma	All-rounder	215 runs + 22 wickets in the tournament, earning her Player of the Tournament.
Shafali Verma	Wicket-keeper-batter	Scored 87 in the final + 2 wickets, Player of the Match in the final.

These numbers tell a story: when preparation meets opportunity, dreams manifest. For a young player: training those nets, practising those sweep shots, improving fitness — that all matters. For parents, seeing those numbers means recognising: talent + support + opportunity = possibility.

What this means for sport in India — especially for girls

The significance of this moment cannot be overstated:

• Visibility: With Indian women becoming world champions, girls everywhere in India will say: “I want to pick up a bat”, “I will bowl in the nets”, “I will join the team.”

• Belief: When a woman from India wins on home soil, it shatters the “maybe not possible” myth. That’s powerful.

• Parental mindset: This win says to families — taking sport seriously is legitimate. The camp, the early morning sessions, the travel — it can pay off.

• Infrastructure boost: Media attention, sponsorships, kit deals, promises of better support. The tide is shifting.

• Long-term cultural shift: Football and cricket everywhere say “girls play too”. This win deepens that narrative in India.

Parents, imagine your daughter’s first cricket glove, or your son watching his sister bowl in the garden: these moments create a culture. This win by the women’s team is a signal: invest in that dream. Encourage that sibling rivalry. Drive her to the net. Let her wear a jersey with her name.

A message to the next generation of players (girls & boys)

To every young girl reading this: Yes — some days you’ll swing and miss. Some days you’ll get hit for six. Some days you’ll feel small. But the girl who keeps picking up the bat, or the ball, or the gloves, is the girl who will stand on the field one day and hear the crowd. You are not doing “just a hobby”. You are doing training, discipline, joy, teamwork — everything sport teaches you. Look at Deepti who scored and bowled. Look at Jemimah who conquered anxiety. Look at Shafali who seized her chance. They were once where you are now.

To every parent: When your daughter says “I want to play cricket”, or "I want to be a bowler", remember: you’re not just allowing a pastime, you’re enabling a future. Provide the net, buy the gear, let her join the club. Mirror what you would do for your son. Say “Yes, you can”. Because now we have proof — real proof — that Indian women’s cricket stands atop the world. The path exists. Let’s walk it.

The field is open

Today, India’s women have reached the summit of the World Cup. Tomorrow? That climb doesn’t end. It ripples. This victory isn’t just etched in record books — it’s written in the hearts of every young girl and boy who has ever held a bat, a ball, or a dream. What India’s women did under those bright lights was more than win a trophy; they rewrote the rules of what’s possible.

To every child reading this — don’t wait for permission to dream. Chase the ball. Swing the bat. Fall, rise, try again. The roar you hear in the stadiums today is not just celebration; it’s a call. A call to you to step onto the pitch, to believe that one day, your name too can echo in those cheers.

Because yes — this is India’s “1983 moment” for women’s sport. Watch the field, listen to the crowds, record the memories. For the next generation, this win is a foundation. The victory belongs not just to the eleven on the field, but to every girl who dreams, every parent who supports, every coach who believes.

The field is open. The bat is in your hands. Score your run.