Cricket icons Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar led the tributes after the Indian women’s cricket team lifted their maiden ODI World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling final at the Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
With this triumph, India became only the fourth team in history to win the Women’s ODI World Cup, joining Australia (7 titles), England (4) and New Zealand (1) in the elite list of champions.
A Defining Moment in Indian Cricket
For Indian women’s cricket, the victory marked the end of decades of near misses — heartbreaking losses in 2005 (Centurion), 2017 (Lord’s) and the 2020 T20 final in Melbourne. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, the team finally realised its long-cherished dream before a jubilant home crowd.
Former India captain Virat Kohli, a two-time World Cup winner himself, expressed immense pride on social media.
“The girls have created history and I couldn’t be more proud as an Indian to see years of hard work come to life. Big congratulations to Harman and the whole team — this moment will inspire generations of girls to take up the sport. Jai Hind,” Kohli wrote on Instagram.
Tendulkar’s Emotional Tribute
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who lifted the men’s ODI World Cup in 2011, compared the achievement to India’s iconic 1983 triumph, calling it a “defining moment” for women’s cricket in the country.
“1983 inspired a generation to dream big. Today, our women’s team has done something truly special. They have inspired countless young girls to believe that they too can lift that trophy one day. This is a defining moment in the journey of Indian women’s cricket,” Tendulkar shared on X.
India’s Road to Glory
India’s path to the title was nothing short of remarkable. Despite hosting the tournament, they were not considered favourites and faced a difficult mid-tournament slump, losing three matches in a row. However, the team bounced back strongly — defeating reigning T20 World Champions New Zealand to secure a semi-final berth and then stunning seven-time champions Australia to reach the final.
In the decisive match, India posted 298 for seven, the second-highest total in Women’s World Cup history, thanks to Shafali Verma’s blistering 87 and Deepti Sharma’s composed fifty. In reply, South Africa were bundled out for 246 in 45.3 overs, with Deepti taking five wickets and Shafali claiming two.
The duo’s all-round brilliance earned them widespread acclaim, while Shafali’s performance sealed her the Player of the Match award.
