Image Caption: An ecstatic moment in history — the Indian women’s cricket team celebrates their first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup victory in 2025. Dressed in bright blue jerseys, the players leap with joy, arms raised high as their captain lifts the gleaming World Cup trophy under a shower of golden confetti. Smiles, tears, and laughter fill the air, with a grand backdrop reading ‘Women’s Cricket World Cup India 2025’. The stadium lights shimmer as India makes history on home soil.
About 6 years ago I wrote an article named A Change that’s not Good Enough: How Indian Cricket is in Omnishambles. In the article, I examined the pay parity and illusion of progress in Indian Cricket. Further, I examined how high performing female players were paid less than lower performing male players. The article also explored the social dimension: the gendered lens through which players are viewed from and interacted with. It explored instances of sexism, double standards, and selective accountability.
Since 2019, some things have changed. In 2022, the BCCI introduced the equal fee system, under which all Indian players are paid equally for each match. In the same year, the BCCI also introduced the WPL (Women’s IPL). Concurrently, women’s cricket support infrastructure and accommodations saw an improvement. However, the disparity in annual contract retainers remained unchanged. Additionally, the large gap between prize money for male championships and female championships was never bridged. Moreover, the female players continue to face significantly fewer earning opportunities than their male counterparts.
In 2017, when the Indian Women’s Cricket team reached the world cup final for the second time, all these issues resurfaced, only to fade back into the background. This time the Indian Women’s Cricket team has not only reached the world cup final, but won the world cup. Smriti Madhana has outpaced Virat Kohli, becoming the fastest Indian to 5000 ODI runs. Yet, she is recognized as “female Kohli,” corrupting her unique struggles and identity. Deepti Sharma has become the first person to achieve over 200 runs and 20 wickets in a World Cup, outdoing Lance Klusener’s 17 wicket milestone. The Indian Women’s Cricket team’s highest ODI total is 435/5, 17 runs greater than the Indian Men’s Cricket team.
The truest test of a nation’s progress is not in the records it breaks, but in the biases it unlearns. It’s high time we, as a nation, address the economic inequalities women in all industries face. Any inequality in salaries based on gender send a subtle yet damaging message to young girls. It’s important to remind them: greatness is not defined by gender, but by historic achievement. This historic world cup win is an indicator that the Indian Women’s Cricket is no longer in its youth. It’s up to the BCCI to make sure Women’s Cricket doesn’t fade back into the background.
As viewership rises, so will investments. The 2025 World Cup win can do for women’s cricket what the 1983 victory did for men’s cricket: ignite a revolution. Capitalizing on this win is essential for both social and economic reorganization around women’s cricket. To fully capitalize on this victory, interventions must start at the grassroots level. Equal respect for women in the sport must be the foundation. That respect should not just be spoken of, but also take tangible form. For instance, sustained investment in infrastructure, expansive media coverage, and dedicated mentorship for young players. The goal is to leave no talent undiscovered and no passion unfulfilled.
Remember their names, not as exceptions, but as precedents:
- Harmanpreet Kaur (captain and all rounder)
- Smriti Madhana (vice captain and opening batswoman)
- Shafali Verma (opening batswoman)
- Jemimah Rodrigues (middle-order batswoman)
- Pratika Rawal (opening batswoman)
- Uma Chetry (batswoman and wicket keeper)
- Richa Ghosh (wicket keeper)
- Deepti Sharma (best all rounder in the world)
- Sneh Rana (low-order batswoman and off break bowler)
- Harleen Deol (all rounder)
- Kranti Goud (all rounder)
- Amanjot Kaur (seam bowling all rounder)
- Renuka Singh Thakur (fast bowler)
- Radha Yadav (spinner)
- N. Shree Charani (spinner)
- Arundhati Reddy (right-arm bowler)