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When Captain Harmanpreet Kaur caught the final ball of the 2025 Womens Cricket World Cup everyone felt a huge wave of relief happiness and pride. For the Indian womens cricket team it was more than just winning; it was the reward for many years of hard work hidden struggles and dreams they quietly held. For generations these women cricketers had shouldered the burden of expectation and the nagging sensation of being “almost there”. They had played in early morning practice sessions as the world around them still dreamed of sleep. They had travelled hours in crowded buses sometimes in modest lodgings away from the glamour and applause so readily given to others. They had worn the national crest yes - but also the insecurity that their success might not be wholeheartedly celebrated. Every scrape on the crease-cloth every bruise from a bouncer every dropped catch or squandered opportunity had only steeled their resolve further. In this tournament the team had stumbled. They woke up one day and found themselves 3 losses down - a gap even seasoned teams fear to lose from. But rather than splinter they found a greater unity. Under captain Harmanpreet Kaur they adjusted fought back clawed into the knock-out stage they had long dreamed of. Their semi-final victory a record run-chase against a dominant cricket nation was the spark that kindled the flame of belief. Then came the final. In the thousands of adoring fans at DY Patil Stadium Navi Mumbai every run dive catch felt like a letter to a younger self. The one who first held a bat uncertainly in a dusty village ground. The one who was told cricket was “for boys”. The one who stayed back in the nets after practice too embarrassed to leave early thinking “maybe tomorrow I’ll be good enough”.When the stumps were shattered and the screen confirmed their triumph the stadium roared - and with it the decades of waiting were released. Old heroes who had borne the flag without the silverware could finally breathe. Little girls watching on television and school playgrounds understood that dream which flickered in mute hearts could take shape. The impact of this win cannot be overstated. As the men’s 1983 victory had changed the course of Indian cricket so too will this moment transform women’s sport.It is not just about the trophy - it is about recognition about equality about sending a message that talent and hard work will no longer be ignored. With the cup finally in hand the team has become more than players more than athletes: they have become icons. But the story does not end here. Because the real journey had begun much earlier: in small towns and interiors where facilities were basic bursaries limited and voices muted. Where sometimes they shared dormitory floors meals in plastic plates and even handed-down gear from one year to the next. It was in this environment that the seeds of greatness were planted. And now - on this night in this stadium - they have flowered. As confetti fell and the national anthem swelled the players stared at each other tears in their eyes minds wandering to first coaches encouraging families harsh selectors and yes - to those who saw potential when no one else did. They knew the victory was not theirs alone. It belonged to every girl who had ever picked up a bat despite being told she “couldn’t” to every parent who had supported that decision to every unsung staff member who had kept the wheels in motion.Tonight they celebrate. Tomorrow the real work begins - to encourage young girls to build better infrastructure to make sure this is not a one-off victory but the first of many. Because when a wave gathers in a quiet corner and finally breaks with force the sea remakes itself.