India clinched the coveted title with a comprehensive 52-run victory over South Africa in the final.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (November 5) met the country’s women's cricket team at his residence and lauded the players for their "remarkable resilience and comeback" in the World Cup 2025 triumph.
The victorious campaign was far from smooth for the Women in Blue as they faced heavy backlash in the middle of the tournament following their three successive defeats against South Africa, Australia and England.
However, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side proved their critics wrong by staging a comeback for the ages, defeating Australia and South Africa in the semi-final and final to lift the coveted trophy.
The women’s team arrived in the national capital on Tuesday evening for the meeting, two days after scripting a defining moment with a 52-run victory over South Africa in the title clash at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
During the meet-up, PM Modi also mentioned the trolling players had faced on social media after the early setbacks and praised them for showing exemplary mental strength to bounce back and script history.
Recalling their earlier meeting with the Prime Minister after the 2017 World Cup, skipper Harmanpreet said the team had then come without a trophy. She added that hopefully they will achieve more success and get to meet him more often. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said PM Modi’s words were a huge source of motivation.
Deepti Sharma, who earned the Player-of-the-Tournament award, told Modi she had been waiting to meet him since 2017, recalling how he had then urged them to keep working hard to achieve their dream.
When the Prime Minister mentioned her "Jai Shri Ram" Instagram bio and the tattoo of Lord Hanuman on her arm, Deepti smiled and said they gave her strength.
Harmanpreet asked Modi how he manages to stay in the present at all times. The Prime Minister replied that it had become a part of his life and a habit over time.
He also recalled some memorable moments from the team's journey, including Harleen Deol's spectacular catch against England in 2021, which he had posted about on social media.
The Prime Minister fondly referred to Harmanpreet pocketing the ball after the World Cup final. She said she was lucky that the ball came to her.
In a lighter vein, Modi also spoke about Amanjot Kaur's juggling South African captain Laura Wolvaardt’s catch in the final. "While catching, you must have been seeing the ball, but after catching it, you must have been seeing the trophy," he joked.
Kranti Gaud told the Prime Minister that her brother is a big fan of his, to which he extended an open invitation to meet him.
Modi urged the players to promote the Fit India message, especially among girls across the country. He expressed concern over the growing problem of obesity and stressed the importance of fitness and physical activity. He also encouraged them to visit their schools and inspire young minds to take up sports.
The players will now disperse to their respective hometowns. Shafali Verma, however, will travel to Nagaland to lead the North Zone side in the upcoming Inter-Zonal T20 competition.
(With PTI Inputs)