New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) History was made on November 2 when a crowd of around 40,000 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai roared in joy when India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to claim their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup crown.
Harmanpreet Kaur and her trailblazers, coming from metros and small towns, united to script a new chapter for Indian women’s cricket. Former India cricketer and ex-chief selector Hemlata Kala believes this triumph will echo far beyond the boundary ropes.
In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Hemlata draws parallels of 2025 epochal victory to 1983 triumph and explains why this win could reshape women’s cricket in India forever. Excerpts: –
Q. What does this ODI World Cup winning moment mean to you?
A. It means a lot to me because we were trying out for this since 2005. We used to reach the finals but were not able to do it. But this time, Harman’s team did it. What I liked more is that it can change the scenario, just like how it was after the Men’s World Cup win in 1983.
This could also be a turning point for women’s cricket, as the game will get more recognition from here. This victory is for all the girls who want to make cricket their future. It will motivate them a lot and this will benefit them in the future.
I was very emotional because we were waiting for this for a long time and especially since 2005. When Laura fell, I understood that we would win the match. I knew that their two batsmen can’t do it every day – like every day is not a Sunday and Deepti just did that by taking out Laura. I can’t really explain what was going on in my mind at that time.
Q. How surreal it has been to see the team win the title despite three consecutive losses in the league stage?
A. Yes, everyone was thinking that we won’t be able to do it. But I knew that if we had a match with New Zealand, we would win. If we look at the stats of New Zealand in terms of playing ODIs in India, they were not that good. I thought that if we had a semi-final match against Australia, it would be crucial. Otherwise, it didn’t feel like we were out of the race. We had the matches and chances to reach the finals.
Q. Shafali Verma wasn’t there in main squad and reserves. But her performance in the final, how impressive was that to see?
A. I don’t know why the previous selectors didn’t keep her, but I do feel she always warranted a place in the squad. Shafali’s return to the final end of the World Cup was so bang on – like Harman wasn’t getting wickets. But the two main breakthroughs Shaifu got, it won’t be wrong to say that she got to turn the game.
If those two wickets hadn’t fallen, it then could have gone long. Shaifu’s return was really good for the Indian team. Her 87 runs were of huge importance – like the wicket was slow in the beginning. But the way she batted sensibly, it felt like Shaifu’s return was meant only for the finals.
She has improved her fielding as well. If you look at the matches, Shaifu’s fielding has improved a lot. Her bowling is a plus point. The way she bowled in the final, she bowled with her mind. If she had bowled faster, maybe she wouldn’t have got a wicket. But she slowed the ball and used her mind well. She knew how to vary the pace of the ball.
Q. As someone who’s seen Shafali’s growth closely, can you talk about the changes she’s made from a batting perspective?
A. Shaifu has changed her game a lot. I have seen all her innings in the domestic as well. She has dominated and played sensibly. A team like Haryana only goes into a knockout due to her sheer will. So just think about how good her game will be. I always appreciate her for playing her game and a lot of sense has come into her.
In terms of her batting, like as per the situation out there and after Smriti and Jemimah fell, I have rarely seen her be so cool. I think she has matured a bit by playing in the domestic matches when she was not in the national team. She has more maturity now in terms of her play in all three departments.
Q. A word on Deepti Sharma as well – she’s been so prolific with both bat and ball in the competition.
A. I have seen her since she was 8-9 years old. So you can say I have seen her grow up. Her impact has always been different in every series. If you see, there is only one girl who performs in every series – either doing it in batting or bowling. She does this in every series and I have seen her grow up and improve as a player in every series.
She has obviously improved in batting, but the way she has improved in bowling and has brought perfection in her variations, that is commendable. She must have worked really hard to get what she has right now. We don’t get to meet much right now because I am also busy and she also stays in camps and travels with the team.
But the hard work she has done is visible now, which is a natural thing. When we started, she was 8-9 years old, and there is still a lot of difference from there to now and I have seen the difference in every series.
Q. Any learning which young cricketers can take from Deepti’s stupendous performances in this World Cup?
A. One thing they can learn is that hard work always pays off. Deepti has worked very hard. It’s not easy to leave a place like Agra and prove yourself there. So she has worked very hard for that. Now suppose for people like us, it’s good to stay at home with family.
But she spends most of her time outside and she has sacrificed this for her game. So I think one should learn the hard work she has done, as well as her dedication for cricket. She didn’t pay attention to anything other than cricket and family and people should understand this.
Q. Many feel that this win will be a watershed moment for Indian women’s cricket. In your view, how should the stakeholders capitalize on this momentum so that more trophies are won in future?
A. The BCCI has worked very hard. I was the chairman of the selection committee in 2017 and was at Lord’s when they reached the final. After that, when Jay Shah took charge, WPL came here. There’s been so much work done for women’s cricket – like I was at the BCCI CoE when their pre World Cup camps were happening and I saw the support they got there from everyone in CoE and BCCI.
Plus, WPL has given confidence to the players. There used to be only one series, but now there are many series. There is no place for rest for international players like Harmanpreet Kaur, because there are so many matches for them. I will tell you there used to be one series in a year. Moreover, there were no series from 1995 to 1999. There was no series for 2-3 years after the 1997 World Cup.
But after 2017, BCCI’s perspective on women’s cricket has changed a lot. The way they have brought the central contracts system and WPL also started, a lot of things have started to change. I used to think that the state associations were not paying attention. But the way men’s cricket flourished after the 1983 World Cup win, this time it will do the same for women’s cricket. Our cricket will do well in every state in the country through our stakeholders.
Q. From a societal lens, how do you see this victory influencing perception of making a career out of playing cricket?
A. If you see the viewership for the final on live streaming, it was above 20 crores. So you must imagine the large pool of viewers watching the final. Plus, the celebrations which followed in all areas of India, I have never seen like that before. I live in Agra, which is a very small city.
But you will not believe, there were tons of celebrations. People were bursting crackers outside their homes, so definitely it is going to change. After 2017 and WPL, people want to put their girls in cricket. I don’t think there can be a better platform than this for making girls pick up the sport. In the future, many kids will make cricket as their future.
Q. Is there a moment from the final whose memory will stay with you forever?
A. When the team was lifting the trophy and the last wicket Deepti picked. But the trophy lifting moment is something I will never ever forget as we have been yearning for it for so many years. So it will always be in my mind. As Jemimah said, this trophy is not only for the players, it is for all those who have paved the way for women’s cricket.
It is for everyone. Imagine, we got independence in 1947. But the first fight for independence was the most important one. So that was the first fight for women’s cricket and we should not forget their contribution. Though they could not reach the finals, but they started the run for women’s cricket in India. So this victory is for them too.
This victory is for Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, Diana Edulji, Shanta Rangaswamy, and for everyone. It is for all those women who played despite many saying that cricket is a hard game for women and it can’t be played by them. But look at the power hitting of Shafali. It is for all those people who think that women playing cricket is not possible, and now, women have done it.
Q. How do you see the Indian team poised to get more success across major events in the coming years?
A. In June-July, there is a T20 World Cup in England and what if they also win it? This team is like that. They can do anything. Someone was saying on TV that whether they will win it or not and were giving other options too. But this team has done it and I am now thinking, what if the girls bring the T20 World Cup home and give us another unforgettable moment – possibilities are endless.
The way BCCI is working for women’s cricket – U15, U19, Challenger Trophies, zonal camps, then zonal and CoE tournaments, I am seeing them work not only for the players, but also for making the best coaches in our cricketing ecosystem. Earlier, when we used to go to Australia, the men’s team used to lose.
But now, look, we have started fighting and even won series before in all three formats. One day, you will also say that India has seven titles in women’s cricket. Earlier, there was no work for women’s cricket. Now, the work has started, results are coming and we just have to keep delivering. So, I feel that BCCI is doing a very good job and the future will definitely belong to India.
–IANS
nr/bc
