The Indian women scripted history on November 2, clinching their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup title with a memorable performance.
Indian women's cricket team kicks off 2026 with blessings of Lord Mahakal/ Credit: Shafali Verma/X
The India women’s cricket team, who lifted the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, attended the Bhasm Aarti at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple and offered prayers to mark the beginning of New Year 2026.
The Indian women scripted history on November 2, clinching their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup title with a memorable performance. India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, overcoming one of the strongest teams in women’s cricket to secure the coveted trophy.
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A defining World Cup campaign
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The year 2025 proved to be a defining one for Indian women’s cricket. The team endured a difficult start to their campaign, suffering three consecutive defeats against South Africa, Australia and England, leaving them with slim chances of qualification. However, India staged a remarkable turnaround, with the breakthrough coming in a crucial match against New Zealand, which they won by 53 runs.
Momentum gathered from there, and India produced one of the most memorable performances of the tournament in the semi-final against Australia, posting a massive 339 runs and completing one of the biggest run chases ever seen in a World Cup knockout match.
Ending years of heartbreak
The World Cup triumph marked India’s first-ever title in the competition, ending years of near misses. India had previously fallen short with a heavy 98-run loss to Australia in the 2005 final and a heartbreaking nine-run defeat to England in the 2017 final.
The victory was also a landmark moment for head coach Amol Muzumdar, a domestic cricket stalwart who never represented India at the international level, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made her India debut in 2009 and finally led the team to the country’s long-awaited World Cup glory.
Strong finish to 2025 season
India built on their winning momentum after the World Cup, with the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side whitewashing Sri Lanka 5-0 in a five-match T20I series, ending the 2025 season on a high.
The Indian women’s team has achieved a five-match T20I whitewash on only two previous occasions, against the West Indies in 2019 (away) and Bangladesh in 2024 (away), underlining the consistency and dominance they displayed throughout the year.
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