THE LONG-AWAITED FIRST CROWN

Navi Mumbai: Chants of Vande Mataram rent the air at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday night. The mood was electric, patriotism the theme, as Indian fans in “bleed blue” T-shirts turned the arena into a sea of pride and anticipation. The 40,000-plus crowd that packed the stands wasn’t cheering for the men’s team this time but for Harmanpreet Kaur’s fearless women—a team that completed its long, unfinished journey to glory by outlasting South Africa by 52 runs to lift their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup crown.

At exactly 12:01 a.m. on Monday, India tore the form book to shreds, bowling out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs after posting 298 for 7 — the second-highest total in tournament history. The breakthrough in the 13th edition of the global showpiece made India only the fourth team to win the trophy, joining Australia (7), England (4) and New Zealand (1) in the pantheon of champions. For Harmanpreet’s team, it was the closing of old wounds — finally burying the ghosts of 2005 and 2017 — and delivering India’s long-awaited world title. This was redemption, an Everest moment for Indian women’s cricket.

Undoubtedly, the heroine of the final was Deepti Sharma, who created magic with both bat and ball, even as Shafali Verma top-scored with 87. Deepti, the ever-reliable workhorse, scored 55 and then claimed five wickets for 39 runs in 9.3 overs, finishing as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 21. Her guile, control and calm under pressure defined India’s night of glory. If Deepti was the

dependable pillar, Shafali was the story of second chances — recalled to the squad after Pratika Rawal’s injury. Just weeks ago, she was turning

out for Haryana in domestic cricket. On the grandest stage, the 21-year-old dynamo returned with an innings of audacity and maturity — 87 off 84 balls — before taking two crucial wickets that tilted the game India’s way.

Her partnership with Smriti Mandhana (45) was the perfect launchpad, their 104-run stand forcing South Africa’s bowlers into disarray after a two-hour rain delay. Mandhana’s dismissal denied her a half-century but capped off a record-breaking campaign — 434 runs at 54.25, the most by any Indian batter in Women’s World Cup history, including a century and two fifties. Jemimah Rodrigues, the star of the semifinal win over Australia, looked set for another long stay before a sharp catch by Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt ended her innings. With two set batters gone, India’s hopes rested on skipper Harmanpreet, but this time her girls ensured she didn’t have to carry the burden alone.

South Africa began their reply briskly, with Tazmin Brits (23) and Wolvaardt adding 51 for the first wicket. The breakthrough came via Amanjot Kaur’s direct hit, and from there, India’s bowlers tightened the noose. Shree Charani, the 21-year-old left-arm spinner, bowled with composure beyond her years. Her immaculate lines fetched Anneke Bosch’s wicket before Shafali’s double strike rattled the middle order. Wolvaardt’s magnificent 98-ball 101 kept South Africa in the contest, but when she threatened to take the game away, Deepti struck twice in four balls—removing the Proteas captain and Chloe Tryon—to break the spine of the chase. She fittingly applied the finishing touch by dismissing Nadine de Klerk for her fifth wicket, sparking celebrations of a lifetime.

The turning point came when Amanjot Kaur took a stunning catch to dismiss Wolvaardt — the stadium erupted as the white ball finally settled in her hands after a brief juggle. That was the moment India knew destiny was theirs. It was a riot of celebration once the last wicket fell. The players hugged each other, and leading the cheering was none other than former India captain Rohit Sharma in the stands, smiling and applauding. Over a billion prayed, and the dream came true.

The night was soaked in symbolism. Harmanpreet lifted the trophy that had eluded Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, the torchbearers who had carried Indian women’s cricket for two decades. For the younger generation—Smriti, Jemimah, Richa and Shafali—it marked the dawn of a new era where Indian women finally stood shoulder to shoulder with the game’s powerhouses. As fireworks lit up the Navi Mumbai sky, the emotion on Harmanpreet’s face said it all. The wait was over. From heartbreak to history, India’s women had finally rewritten their story — and this time, they wrote it in gold.

If June 25, 1983, was the watershed for Indian men’s cricket when Kapil’s Devils beat the mighty West Indies at Lord’s, November 2, 2025, will forever stand as the defining moment for the women’s game. Among those in the stands was Rohit Sharma, who still carries the scars of November 19, 2023, watching with folded hands and a prayer that Harmanpreet’s fate would be different — and it was. When the Indian skipper latched on to Nadine de Klerk’s offering while back-pedalling at extra cover, commentator Ian Bishop fittingly called it a moment “inspiring generations”.