'Third time lucky' was truly the case with the Indian team as Harmanpreet Kaur led her side to a maiden Women's ODI World Cup title, burying the ghosts of 2005 and 2017. Mithali Raj, who was the captain of the Indian team that lost the 2017 final to England, had tears in her eyes as the current crop of players brought an end to the decades-long wait. Speaking to NDTV, Mithali reflected on the historic night in Navi Mumbai that saw India being crowned the champions for the first time.
The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, etc. had a huge role to play in helping India end the decades-long drought. But, Mithali also had the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as well as its former secretary Jay Shah - now the ICC chairman - for giving the women's team the respect and support it deserved.
"The BCCI and the WPL have played a huge role in bringing about this change. India's World Cup participation, particularly hosting the event, showed an unprecedented level of response compared to previous tournaments, even the 2013 edition. What was especially heartening was the decision by the current BCCI secretary to honour all former cricketers during the opening match between India and Sri Lanka. This rightly emphasised that those who put in the hard work in the past truly sowed the seeds, allowing the current generation to stand on this platform. It was a very nice gesture," Mithali said.
Mithali also thanked Jay Shah for various initiatives he took during his time with the BCCI to ensure the development of women's cricket in India, of which, the Women's Premier League (WPL), played a huge role.
"Mr. Jay Shah, the former BCCI Secretary and current ICC President, was the one who revolutionised the [women's] sport, taking key decisions and ensuring the WPL was started. Having completed three seasons, the league has clearly changed countless lives, particularly for women cricketers. Their entire approach has shifted," she asserted.
To conclude, Mithali highlighted that BCCI's support was a constant effort to prove that women's cricket stands on par with men's cricket, and she truly believes that is the case.
"We always talk about fearlessness, but that quality is developed only through consistently going through challenging experiences, which the WPL provides. The franchise league is a high-pressure, demanding format, operating at a different level. When players are constantly subjected to these demands, it helps them to first accept and absorb the pressure, and then find a way to excel. Experiencing the same pressures in a global tournament like the World Cup means they are already prepared. Huge credit is due to the BCCI for making this happen. Furthermore, Mr. Shah also ensured equal prize money for the World Cup. This is a great thing to do - it clearly shows that women's cricket stands on a par with men's cricket," she concluded.