The so-called gentleman’s game has quietly transformed into a gentle yet fiercely competitive women’s sport. As the Indian Women’s Cricket Team brings the World Cup home, this victory feels like the culmination of decades of perseverance, quiet struggles, and unrelenting passion.

My own tryst with cricket began humbly, as practice company for my brother. Back in elementary school, I would negotiate our playtime: “I’ll bowl to you, but only if you let me bat, too.”

Cricket wasn’t considered a woman’s field then, but my brother, desperate for a warm body to play with, taught me the stance, the grip, and the rules, not because he thought I’d ever pursue it, but because he needed a knowledgeable company to enjoy with.

My earliest intense memory of the game unfolded in our small living room in the Air Force quarters in Agra, India. Kapil Dev was captain. After watching him underperform recently, I blurted out, “He’s going to get out for a duck.”

The immediate consequence was a loud yell and a sharp slap (yes, it was normal then:)) from my mother for being negative and “jinxing” the match. I sulked but celebrated nevertheless when Kapil Dev played a stunning, match-winning innings. That moment cemented my lifelong love for the game.

Decades later, I married an avid local ‘gully’ cricket player, a man whose professional aspirations to play cricket professionally were eventually trumped by the practicality of an IT career in the USA. He never gave up the game, continuing to play in local and corporate leagues. Naturally, when our children arrived, they were exposed to try cricket alongside American sports like gymnastics, baseball and soccer.

When my daughter, at 12 or 13, joined a local youth team, she faced the tough reality of being the only girl on the field with 20-plus boys. Though naturally skilled, she felt invisible; the boys would whisper among themselves or toss underhand, treating her as delicate.

One day, she came home in tears, ready to quit. The fierce mom in me rose up. “Why give up something you love just because no other girls play?” I told her, launching into my strong woman achiever sermon. 

She listened quietly, then asked: “Would you play in Papa’s league if you were the only woman there and they were making fun of you or taking you easy?” I had no answer. That question changed everything.

I was silenced. I realized that while I was fierce in conviction, my own skills were limited. But from that moment, something shifted.

In our small town, a determined women’s cricket team eventually took shape, now entering its fifth year. We play recreationally, sometimes with barely enough players to field a team, but the spirit remains unshaken.

We play not just for ourselves, but for young girls like my daughter, to show them that cricket is for them, too. My daughter, now a gymnast, still joins us for major matches and often shines with her natural athleticism, and has helped us win a few local matches.

Had this World Cup victory come a decade earlier, perhaps her story would have been different. But, watching the Indian women lift the trophy this past weekend was an indescribable joy, a full-circle moment after the heartbreak of the 2017 near miss. This sure is an inspiration for many young girls to embrace cricket as a part of their lives.

Never, in my wildest dreams watching the ‘gentleman’s game’ decades ago, did I imagine I would be celebrating this Women’s ICC India winning moment. I watched the celebrations on repeat, eyes filled with tears, as the team shared their victory with the predecessors, the trailblazers/legends like Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj who pursued the game through eras of minimal facilities, limited resources, sparse crowds, insignificant remuneration, or lack of popularity they deserved.

The sight of the new champions passing the trophy to these pioneers was profoundly moving, a gesture of gratitude that spoke volumes about the heart and kindness of this team. Women’s cricket has come a long way: from empty stadiums to sold-out arenas, from obscurity to prime-time television. Pay parity, equal visibility, and public adoration are still works in progress, but this victory has pushed the sport, and its women into a new light.

Cricket has been already the second most-watched sport in the world for men’s cricket, but it is the women’s game that’s now defining its next era.

I hope this win inspires countless girls across India, the U.S., and beyond to pick up a bat, to bowl that first over, to step onto the pitch without hesitation.

To all who played when no one watched, and to those who keep the flame alive today: I salute you. Cheers and love, keep rising, keep shining, Indian Women’s Cricket legends – you just made history, and we are proud of you!

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.

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