Boundless Belief
India’s first Women’s World Cup victory was not just a sporting milestone ~ it was the crystallisation of decades of perseverance, family faith, and the quiet revolution of ambition taking root in small-town India.
On Thursday, a cricketing masterclass took place in Navi Mumbai as the young and talented Jemimah Rodrigues tore apart the DY Patil Stadium with her incredible unbeaten 127. This goes down in history as a memorable moment for the fans of the game.
BIG BREAKING
Advertisement
India enter Women’s World Cup 2025 final after defeating Australia; set to face South Africa on November 2.#ICCWomensWorldCup2025 #IndiaVsAustralia #WomensWorldCup2025 #breakingnews pic.x.com/OXJBMtPmYn
Advertisement
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) October 30, 2025
While supporters revel in this amazing victory, it is the perfect time to look back at the triumphant journey of the Women’s World Cup and the winning teams and runners up who became its legends.
Women’s Cricket World Cup Winners List by Year
| Year | Winning Country | Runners-up | Winning Captain |
| 1973 | England | Australia | Rachael Heyhoe Flint |
| 1978 | Australia | England | Margaret Jennings |
| 1982 | Australia | England | Sharon Tredrea |
| 1988 | Australia | England | Sharon Tredrea |
| 1993 | England | New Zealand | Karen Smithies |
| 1997 | Australia | New Zealand | Belinda Clark |
| 2000 | New Zealand | Australia | Emily Drumm |
| 2005 | Australia | India | Belinda Clark |
| 2009 | England | New Zealand | Charlotte Edwards |
| 2013 | Australia | West Indies | Jodie Fields |
| 2017 | England | India | Heather Knight |
| 2022 | Australia | England | Meg Lanning |
The first recorded women’s international match was in 1934, when the English team went to Australia and New Zealand, competing in the historic first-ever Test match. The very first match was won by England which set the pace for women’s cricket to progress further.
However, the game slowly grew with South Africa coming into the Test fold in 1960. Although Test matches were the only ones in those days, limited-overs cricket was first played in England in 1962, while the first men’s one-day international was held in 1971.
Also Read: Women’s WC: ‘I used to call my mum and cry’, Jemimah opens up on battling anxiety during tournament
The first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup took place in 1973 with England as the venue, and it went on to become the first cricket tournament for women that came before the men’s by two years.
The first edition of the tournament struggled financially and also suffered from the long interim of about six years between each edition. The 1973 final saw England winning over Australia on points with Rachael Heyhoe Flint as the leader of her side.
For a long time, Australia and England were the ones to have a monopoly on the WCA and consequently, with phenomenal figures like Margaret Jennings, Sharon Tredrea, and Karen Smithies at the command.
With India in the 2025 final, the stage is all ready for another epic encounter that could see a new champion rise or legends cement their legacy.
Advertisement
