The Indian women’s cricket team carved their names into history after claiming their maiden World Cup title at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, in a dramatic final that ended just at the stroke of midnight. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India finally achieved the dream of lifting the coveted trophy on the grandest stage.
The night also belonged to two icons who had paved the path for this success, Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. Both legends, who had dedicated nearly two decades to Indian cricket, came painfully close to the trophy in 2005 and 2017. On November 3, 2025, their wait was finally over, even if they were witnessing it as proud former cricketers.
As the Indian team began their victory lap, Harmanpreet Kaur gathered her teammates and made a heartfelt gesture, handing over the trophy to Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. Mithali, known for her composure, could barely contain her emotions. She simply said, ‘thank you’ and ‘I am so happy’, before lifting the trophy with her successors. Her eyes glistened with pride. Jhulan Goswami embraced Harmanpreet tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Jhulan Goswami gets emotional
Jhulan Goswami, India’s record-breaking fast bowler and the only woman with more than 200 ODI wickets, was overcome with emotion. She embraced Harmanpreet tightly, tears streaming down her face. When she finally held the trophy, she could not hide her childlike joy. She celebrated with Smriti Mandhana, shared words with Richa Ghosh, and joined hands with another former captain, Anjum Chopra, as they were all honored by the victorious team. The first to receive the trophy, however, was Reema Malhotra, another stalwart of Indian cricket, who added to the jubilant atmosphere by singing "Sadda Haq" from the film Rockstar with the team.
Harmanpreet Kaur thanks seniors
Reflecting on the night and her connection to her seniors, Harmanpreet Kaur spoke emotionally after the match.
"Jhulan Di was my biggest support. When I joined the team, she was leading it. She always supported me in my early days when I was very raw and didn't know much about cricket. I used to play with boys, and the school principal picked me up, and within a year, I started representing the country."
She added,"In the initial days, Anjum (Chopra) provided me with a lot of support. I always remember how she used to take me along with her team. I learnt a lot from her and passed it on to my team. Both of them have been a great support for me. I am very grateful that I got to share a special moment with them. It was a very emotional moment. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy."
