2025 WC Win Will Inspire Future Generations Of Girls To Take Up Cricket: Deepti Sharma

For decades, it was always ‘so close, yet so far’ for the Indian women’s side when it came to World Cup glory, but the duck was finally broken at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on November 2 as the Women in Blue scripted history by becoming world champions for the first time.

Winning the World Cup is in itself a remarkable achievement, but what made the achievement even more special was the fact that it came at home in front of a packed crowd who cheered for every run, wicket, boundary and dot. The final against South Africa broke viewership records too, proving to be the most-watched Women’s World Cup Final in history.

Deepti Sharma, the World Cup’s Player of the Tournament, believes that this victory will have a ‘huge impact’, to the extent that it will inspire the next generation of girls to take up the sport with passion.

“It will have a huge impact. I can't even express it in words,” Deepti said of the win in an interview with Cricbuzz.

“Earlier, we didn't have that many matches in a year, but after 2017, things really started changing, thanks to the BCCI. We began getting more games, even Test matches, and then the WPL.

“After this trophy, I'm sure things will get even better. Some of the gaps that still exist will also be filled. We already have pay parity now, the same as the men's. And women's cricket is growing fast in every possible way.

“This World Cup will always be one of the biggest memories of my life. And I think it will inspire the younger generation too. When they see this, they'll feel 'if we want to play sports, we want to play cricket'. That mentality will grow now.”

The campaign, as a whole, proved to be special. At one point, India were staring at potential elimination having lost three group matches in a row. However, the team then went W NR W W to spectacularly lift the title. 

The most significant of those wins came in the semi-final against Australia, where India, against all odds, completed the highest successful chase in Women’s ODIs to get over the line.

Australia were seen as outright favourites who would win the tournament unbeaten, but Deepti revealed that she and the other players always had the belief that they would down the Aussies.

“We always believed that if there's any team that can beat Australia, it's India,” she said.

“As a team, we had that belief. And when the entire team believes, the results follow. Every player had it in their mind that if we play good, positive cricket, we can beat them. It's not a big deal that we can't. 

“And at that moment, you know, different players stepped up and played their roles. That was the best part - everyone contributed when it mattered.”

India reached the final in 2017 as well, but, on that occasion, lost to England despite being in pole position to go all the way. Deepti spoke about the change in mentality that enabled the side to lift the title this time around.

“See, in 2017, we were chasing. I won't say there's a huge difference, but yes, as a team, we've become mentally very strong since then,” she said. 

“We know now that we can beat any team, any day, any time. We're aware of our strengths, and we don't have to look at what others are doing.

“Our only motto was to focus on who we are as a team and what we can do, not on individual players from the opposition. That mindset has changed a lot. Earlier, maybe because I was young, I didn't know much about how other players played, their strengths or weaknesses. 

“Now, with experience, I understand those things better. So, yes, there's been a lot of growth in all of us.”