NDTV Indian Of The Year: Harmanpreet Kaur Reveals "Biggest Change" The Team Experienced After Winning First World Cup
On November 2 this year, the Indian women's cricket team scripted history. Harmanpreet Kaur and company won the first Women's World Cup title for India.
On November 2 this year, the Indian women's cricket team scripted history. Harmanpreet Kaur and company won the first Women's World Cup title for India in front of a jam-packed crowd at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The side defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the summit clash to claim the glory. India won the coveted trophy in their third attempt, having already played the finals in 2005 and 2017, losing to Australia and England, respectively. While they lost to Australia by a huge margin of 98 runs, the one against England saw India suffer a 9-run defeat.
This was not the only close match that India ended up on the losing side. There are more examples where the team fell short towards the end despite putting up a good fight. When asked at the NDTV Indian of the Year 2025 ceremony about the "biggest change" the team experienced after winning the title, captain Harmanpreet Kaur said it was the tag of "world champions."
"Our lives have changed completely. We had been waiting for the moment when people started calling us 'world champions'. We have got that tag now. We have worked really hard for that. So I think the biggest change is carrying that tag," she said.
"I know expectations are going to be there. We want to keep working hard, like we have been doing, and keep bringing more happiness to our country," the India captain added.
India's breakthrough in the 13th edition of the global showpiece made them only the fourth team to win the trophy, joining Australia (7), England (4), and New Zealand (1) in the pantheon of champions.
With the victory, Harmanpreet's team finally buried the ghosts of past heartbreaks - the 2005 and 2017 finals - and delivered India's much-awaited world title, a watershed moment for the game in the country.
After posting 298 for 7 - the second-highest total in tournament history-India held their nerve to bundle out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs.
The Proteas' charge revolved around captain Laura Wolvaardt's magnificent 98-ball 101, but the brilliance of Deepti Sharma (55 and 5/39) and Shafali Verma (87 and 2/36) ensured India's moment of destiny could not be denied.
India Women