The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will kick off on Tuesday, September 30, in Guwahati, where hosts India will take on Sri Lanka. Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, in his column for the ICC, wrote that this showpiece event could be the most pivotal moment in the history of women's cricket in India, also reflecting on his fond memories of India's 1983 World Cup and the knocks played during the team's title-winning campaign.
Coming in as underdogs, the Kapil Dev-led India defied the odds and beat the mighty West Indies to send the whole of India into a joyous celebration. That kick started a revolution, which has now seen India Men's Team grow into a powerhouse in all formats of the game.
“That win told an entire generation of young Indians that dreams need not be constrained by boundaries,” Tendulkar wrote. “The stories from that campaign, like Kapil paaji’s legendary 175 against Zimbabwe – a knock that might not have been televised but is immortalized, are etched in our memory as folklore.”
“Standing on the sidelines that day, watching heroes up close, I resolved that one day I too would wear that India jersey,” Tendulkar recalled. “Now, nearly four decades later, I sense that women’s cricket in India stands on the cusp of its own watershed moment. The upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup will not just be about chasing a trophy; it will be about igniting countless dreams.”
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“Somewhere in Moga, a teenage girl might be clutching her bat tighter, hoping to emulate her idol Harmanpreet Kaur. In Sangli, another girl might be practicing her drives, daring to dream like Smriti Mandhana,” Tendulkar wrote.
Harmanpreet Kaur's epic 171 changed Indian Women's Cricket forever
The former India opener also stated that Kaur's magnificent innings of 171 against Australia in the ICC ODI 2017 World Cup changed Indian Women's Cricket forever. Batting with pain, the veteran displayed an immense amount of mental fortitude and skill to outclass the mighty Australian Women's team.
“I still remember vividly Harmanpreet’s magnificent 171 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup. It was not just an innings; it was a statement. “The sheer audacity of her strokeplay, the clarity of her mind, and the courage in her heart took women’s cricket in India into a new orbit.”
“I believe that was the moment when many stopped seeing women’s cricket as a sideshow—it became center stage. Smriti, too, has become one of the most important and experienced members of this side. There is a silken grace to her batting, a natural rhythm in the way she times the ball. That record-breaking 50-ball century against Australia was not only breathtaking – it was a resounding message that Indian women can dominate at the very highest level. She is not just an elite batter, but a symbol of modern India’s confidence,” Tendulkar wrote.
