India hails maiden women's World Cup cricket title as game-changer / Photo: Arun SANKAR - AFP
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India hails maiden women's World Cup cricket title as game-changer
India celebrated a watershed moment in its sporting history Monday after the women's cricket team won their first World Cup crown, with greats of the game saying it would inspire future generations.
A packed DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai saw hosts India defeat South Africa by 52 runs on Sunday, adding a women's trophy to the country's four men's World Cup titles, starting with the first in 1983.
"1983 inspired an entire generation to dream big and chase those dreams. Today, our women's cricket team has done something truly special," batting legend Sachin Tendulkar posted on social media.
"They have inspired countless young girls across the country to pick up a bat and ball, take the field and believe that they too can lift that trophy one day."
"This is a defining moment in the journey of Indian women's cricket," he added.
Fans celebrated at home and on the streets, with crowds in the capital Delhi waving Indian flags and setting off fireworks.
Virat Kohli, the star batsman from the men's team, described the triumph as "an inspiration for generations to come".
"You've made every Indian proud with your fearless cricket and belief throughout," Kohli wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the "historic win will motivate future champions to take up sports".
India posted 298-7, with Shafali Verma smashing a quickfire 87 and Deepti Sharma making a run-a-ball 58.
South Africa's chase was led by captain Laura Wolvaardt's fighting 101 but regular wickets, including Sharma's match-winning 5-39, saw them dismissed for 246 off 45.3 overs.
A few members of the team which played in India's first Women's World Cup appearance in 1978, including captain Diana Edulji, were in attendance when India lifted the trophy shortly after midnight to deafening cheers from a 45,000 crowd.
The scenes of jubilation contrasted sharply with 2005, when India's runners-up position merited only a small mention in newspapers.
"It's just that there were ups and downs, but the team had self-belief," India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur told reporters after the win.
"I've been saying this since day one. We weren't looking to the left or right. We were only looking at our main end goal."
India reached the final after bouncing back from three defeats in a row in the league stage.
Kaur now joins the ranks of World Cup-winning India captains such as Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
O.Norris--AMWN
