OPINION: India's triumph at Women's World Cup crushes all 'Main Mahilao Ka Cricket Nahi Dekhta' notion

Despite playing the World Cup two years before the men, in 1973 – the chatter around India's women cricketers have remained minimal. Cavernous stadiums, low-priced tickets, including elite ICC tournament such as the Women's World Cup 2025 - showed how much people cared in general.

But the Women's World Cup final between India and South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai felt different and refreshing. The venue was swamped with Blue, covering almost every inch possible. It was an instant reminder of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - Australia’s greatest sporting cathedral - when roughly 95,000 had assembled to enjoy the action. Although India endured a heartbreak then, but the overall picture painted a big win for women's cricket.

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Five years later, a similar sight was witnessed, this time in the sub-continent. The tempo was set at the blockbuster semifinal against Australia, as riding on the back of brilliant efforts by Jemimah Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, India scripted a record run-chase in an Women's ODI, also knocking invincible Australia out of the World Cup.