The Indian women’s cricket team has won the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup on Nov. 2, defeating South Africa by 52 runs. Both teams put up a great fight. Briar Woods’ sophomore, Sumedha Karmankar said “South Africa was at a really good point at the very start and then India was doing really good and then after that South Africa was again in the lead,”, “I didn’t really have that many high hopes [of India winning], but then India caught up to their place and then they won,” continued Karmankar.
The team has gone through multiple challenges to be where they are now. The Deccan Herald had a quote from Shafali Verma, an opening batter on the Indian Women’s Cricket team, “I faced a lot of struggles, but I kept working extremely hard and was rewarded by God for my effort.” said Verma. Before their victory, the women’s team had faced discrimination for doing their career. Many people around them saw cricket as a man’s sport and believed that women should not pursue sport as a profession.
This win has brought a ton of recognition towards the Indian women’s cricket team. Since cricket in India is fantasized with male players, it’s great to see the women’s team also be supported. “It’s really good to see women honestly just being honored,” said Siya Sharma, a sophomore and female athlete in the Briar Woods’ distance track team. “It’s [India] always talking about men, men, men, but now the women are really getting a good side, like it was really difficult for women to enter cricket, but now people are really starting to appreciate them because of their win, and I’m really happy for them,” continued Sharma.
“All of them are very talented, so like seeing them actually win, like a world championship, it’s like, it’s very good,” said Nidhi Kanuri, a Briar Woods’ sophomore. In most countries women’s sports aren’t supported as much compared to men’s sports, India being among those countries. “I know that they’re [Indian women’s cricket team] a really good team in India, I feel like it’s just more the lack of advertising rather than like their skill itself,” said Kanuri.
India winning the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup has led to positive impacts across the country. This victory is a prompt for greater visibility, inspiration and investment in women’s sports in India. The Persistent builds on this point with a quote from sports reporter Rica Roy: “More opportunities, infrastructure and facilities must be built specifically for women-without viewing them through the lens of men’s sports. Women’s athletic strengths differ, and this moment offers a chance to redefine and expand the world of women’s sports,” said Roy.
Young girls in India can now look up to the team, believe that they can be athletes and get recognized for it. Women’s sports can be less frowned about and encouraged more. Seeing that India is known to be a patriarchal country, these impacts can help change the mindsets on how people view women’s sports.
