2nd November marked a historic win by the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, clinching their very first ICC Women’s World Cup in a full-house Navi Mumbai stadium.
It was coming, it was long, long coming. With every year, we have seen this team bounce back no matter what and focus on giving their best on the field for their country.
With the heartbreak of not closing the deal in the last few years, there was nothing stopping them this time around.
The ironic catch taken by the captain herself Harmanpreet Kaur, running and blazing through the ground with the ball in her hand, showcased how much she wanted this, how much she breathed it time and time again.
The class, quality, and belief are unmatched. Watching the final on TV you could still feel the buzz, high beats, the adrenaline rush, and nerves of steel in that stadium. With crisp all-round performances by youngsters like Shefali Verma chipping in 87 runs off 78 balls, taking two crucial wickets at the right time.
The mental strength and hunger to win for the country are so evident from each player’s body language.
Shefali came from a domestic tournament to play for India and pulled a spectacular performance. The self-belief and commitment of each player have a ripple effect. There is no senior no junior, just pure class cricketers giving their best on the field.
Dropped catches by Jemima and others, the team bounces back, moves on, showcasing the immense focus and awareness of the present moment.
This is a legacy they have achieved. Time and again, this team reminds us that a common goal is above individual targets.
The immense desire to lift the trophy for your own country is a deeper internal desire that helps fuels the team go that extra mile, take those magical catches, be present with body aches and tiredness, push that limit and support their team member, because the desire is the country’s success and for that there is no superstar but superstar performances collected together fueled with passionate forces to form an unshakeable unit.
Having various options from disciplined seam bowlers like Thakur, left-arm spinners who can not only bowl wicket to wicket but also spin the ball in a spectacular way, as shown by Sree Chanari.
The game intelligence and ability to think on their feet is very important, but on top of that, executing with their own will, as shown by Deepti Sharma (the leading wicket taker of the World Cup), bowling a yorker to take the wicket of Annerie Dercksen, who showed great determination and could potentially take South Africa across the line. This variation in bowling and batting showcases the standard of cricket in India, be it women’s or men’s team.
Every board has some sort of politics and off-field battles, but when the Indian players step onto the field, it is all in for their country.
This is the difference between other Asian countries and India. Jemimah mentioning Smriti, Radha, and other players who supported her when she made a comeback to score 127 not out chasing a mammoth target against a giant like Australia speaks volumes about the off-field teamwork and environment of the Indian dressing room.
Surely, this Indian side have created a legacy for centuries to come. With their grit, determination, and most importantly their love and hunger to win the game for their country, makes them unstoppable now and ever.
About the Author: Fizza Abid is a Chevening Scholar and a Sport Management graduate from Loughborough University. She has worked for the Olympics 2024, Wimbledon, FIFA, PCB, PSL, volunteered for the ICC CWC2019 and has been in the first batch of ICC female leadership programme in 2021.