Snehasis Mukherjee in Mumbai
A new dawn in Indian women’s cricket has begun as the Women in Blue claimed their first-ever ODI World Cup title by defeating South Africa in the final at the DY Patil Stadium on November 2, 2025.
After the win, as expected, fans were cheering louder than ever. The whole team, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, was seen acknowledging the support as they took a victory lap with the World Cup in their hands. During that time, several former Indian cricketers — Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, and Reema Malhotra — were seen managing their broadcasting duties. These players have paved the way for the current generation, as most members of this winning batch have drawn inspiration from their contributions.
Among them, Mithali and Goswami have been the pillars of Indian women’s cricket. For a long span, they carried the team on their shoulders. So, on a night when India finally broke the jinx and sealed their first-ever ICC title, the team came up with a heartwarming gesture — they were seen asking the legends to lift the trophy and live the moment. It was an emotional scene for everyone present, but for the writer, the most special moment was seeing Mithali Raj lift that trophy with a smile on her face.
For the writer, it felt as if the most deserving player had finally touched the prize she had chased for decades. She remains the only Indian captain to lead the women’s team to two ODI World Cup finals — in 2005 and 2017. Both ended in heartbreaks, especially the 2017 campaign. So, after a 23-year-long career and now working as a commentator, this was a truly poetic moment for her. The writer had goosebumps, a wave of emotion, and tears in his eyes.
What made the scene even more beautiful were the reactions around her. The joy on the players’ faces as Arundhati Reddy gave Mithali a long hug before continuing the victory lap. Earlier, when the writer saw the former skipper standing on the presentation stage, putting medals around the necks of the new champions, it felt like the perfect picture — a generation that conquered the world being honoured by the woman who built the foundation.
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Another touching moment came when the support staff could not reach the stage as they were carrying large Indian flags. Mithali noticed and stepped forward to help, holding one of the flags herself, so that the staff would enjoy the moment with the players. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about her grace. Once again, Mithali showed why she remains a leader, understanding the value of every small contribution that builds a champion team.
As New Zealand’s Eden Carson said in an exclusive interview with us, “There is only one Sophie Devine.” Similarly, there is no denying that there is only one Mithali Raj for India. Generations will come and go, and this World Cup win will surely inspire more young girls to take up the sport. But when they take their first steps onto the cricket field, the legacy of Mithali Raj will continue to guide them — her numbers, her impact, her leadership, and her grace will echo forever in the story of Indian women’s cricket.
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