‘The men had never progressed beyond the group stage in earlier editions, and so everything from the knockout stage onward was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before’
‘A lot of people are comparing them to ’83, but I don’t want there to ever be a comparison’
The 2025 Women’s World Cup win is more than a milestone. By lifting the trophy in Navi Mumbai, Harmanpreet Kaur’s India announced their arrival as a global powerhouse, ending decades of near misses and ushering in a new era for women’s cricket.
The victory, India’s first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title, has already been hailed as a turning point that could spark a new era of belief, investment, and recognition in the women’s game.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the win will send a clear message that the long-standing dominance of other teams is over. However, he drew an interesting distinction between this historic triumph and the men’s 1983 World Cup win.
‘There were some who tried to compare this win with the men's team winning the World Cup in 1983. The men had never progressed beyond the group stage in earlier editions, and so everything from the knockout stage onward was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before this magnificent triumph,’ Gavaskar wrote in Sportstar.
‘Just as the '83 win galvanised Indian cricket and gave it a voice that was heard around the world, this victory will make the countries that started women's cricket long before India did realise that their era of domination has been shaken.’
‘The '83 win also encouraged parents of aspiring cricketers to let their children take up the game. The IPL took it to another level, of course, and that's why today's Indian men's team includes players not just from the metros but from across the country.’
Meanwhile, Kapil Dev, the architect of India’s 1983 triumph, is not in favour of drawing parallels between the two historic moments.
‘A lot of people are comparing them to ’83, but I don’t want there to ever be a comparison. These girls are very good, smart, and the way they played cricket, it felt like they have taken the level of cricket to the next level,’ Kapil said on StarSports.
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