The DY Patil Stadium's scorching lights were the cause of an intense situation in the world. The audience was ecstatic, the adrenaline was at its peak — and the last ball soared up into the night sky.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was running round the ground, her eyes fixed on the ball. She made a jump — and caught it! For a second, time stopped. Then the bang came — shouting, drumming, lighting, and sobbing of pure happiness. The Indian women's team had conquered the World Cup for the first time in history!
However, this win was not cricket. It was a story of trust, spirit, and parity. Not long ago, the BCCI had set an ambitious goal for itself — to pay Indian female cricketers the same as their male counterparts. Doubts abounded.
Some even claimed women’s cricket could never be “big enough.” However, the board was convinced. They stated, “Treat them with the same respect and they will reveal the same magnificence.” And indeed they did!
Shafali Verma, the player full of energy from start to finish, hit the ball out of the park, and thereby, scored 87 runs besides taking two big wickets. Deepti Sharma, the master of disaster before going to bowl, produced her magic — five wickets for the cost of only 39 runs! Every player on the team behaved like a hero.
The every dive, every run, every cheer was the manifestation of belief's power. The moment the last wicket went down, the tricolour was waving triumphantly against the backdrop of the Mumbai night.
Tears were streaming down the cheeks — of the players, of the fans, of the little girls that were watching at home. This was not merely a victory. It was a proclamation to the universe: “Provide the women with equal opportunities and they will deliver miracles.”
Moral of the story: Self-confidence is your best friend. Fairness is your cause. Put in your best effort. Because the meeting of bravery and equality is the making of history.