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‘This is just the beginning’: Harmanpreet Kaur’s powerful vow after leading India to historic World Cup glory
Harmanpreet Kaur aims to establish Indian women's cricket team as champions with sustained excellence after their maiden World Cup win.
What makes a champion team? One tournament win, one brilliant run to lift the trophy? No, it is sustained excellence over a period of time that makes a team champion. The Indian women’s team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, plans on making India a champion team by inculcating this exact spirit in the team.
The Indian women played their first match in 1976, and from then till 2025, it has been nearly 50 years, and they had not won the World Cup title. However, on the 3rd of November, the wait came to an end. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian women's team won their maiden World Cup, and that has inspired the captain to sustain the excellence and establish themselves as the true champions.
During the post-match presentation ceremony, Harmanpreet Kaur was heard saying, “We wanted to break this barrier (of winning the World Cup). We were waiting for this moment; now that this moment has come, let us make it a habit. This is not the end, this is just the beginning. Next year, there is a World Cup as well, and then a Champions Trophy. So many big occasions are coming, we just want to keep getting better and do our best.”
The statement makes it clear that the current crop of girls in the Indian team would not sit pondering on this single trophy win. They strive to get better and want to become world dominators. With the first World Cup title now under their belt, the fans will also hope that this success and excellence are sustained, and the era of women’s cricket is owned by the Indian team.
Also Read: India win maiden Women's World Cup after Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma produce all-round masterclass
India defeated South Africa by 52 runs
Notably, South Africa invited India to bat first after winning the toss for the final match. Led by Shafali Verma’s brilliant 87 off 78 deliveries and Deepti Sharma’s steady 58 runs off 58 deliveries, India managed to post 298 runs on the board at the end of their 50 overs. In the chase, the South African captain, Laura Wolvaardt, batted brilliantly and scored a century. But that was not enough as the Proteas were bundled out for 246, losing the match by 52 runs.
Shafali and Deepti delivered with the ball too. While Shafali picked up two crucial wickets of Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp, Deepti picked up a five-fer, establishing her credentials as a world-class all-rounder.
