The DY Patil Stadium will be jam-packed as Harmanpreet Kaur-led India take on Laura Wolvaardt’s South Africa in the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 final. While the rise of women’s cricket has been meteoric in the past decade, it wasn’t always the case. While men’s cricket came under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) early, women cricketers struggled. It wasn’t until 2006, the women’s cricket came under the BCCI and funds started flowing. Ahead of the all-important final, India women’s team’s first captain, Shantha Rangaswamy recalled the hardships players had to face due to lack of resources.
“From traveling in unreserved coaches to sleeping in dormitories on the floor, we even had to carry our own bedding and other essentials. We would have the cricket kit strapped on our backs like a backpack and a suitcase in one hand,” Rangaswamy told PTI.
“But we are so happy that the current lot is getting all the facilities they deserve. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the results are showing now. All the efforts of the girls, the BCCI, and the state associations have contributed immensely to the success of women’s cricket.”
A lot changed when India reached the final in the 2005 edition against Australia. 12 years later, the women's cricket got a huge boost with India reaching the World Cup final again. Years later, it led to the Women's Premier League (WPL). Rangaswamy who captained India for a few years in early 1980s in ODIs, expressed her happiness on seeing women's cricket flourish. She feels that the current crop of cricketers are bearing the fruits of the foundation laid half a century ago.
“The foundation we laid back then, almost 50 years ago, is bearing fruit now,” the 71-year-old said.
Rangaswamy credits BCCI secretary
Rangaswamy also lauded the BCCI secretary Jay Shah for bringing several reforms to women's cricket which have paid off.
“When Jay Shah was the BCCI secretary, he introduced several reforms that gave a huge boost to women’s cricket. I say this with conviction because I was part of the apex council that supported women’s cricket, and those initiatives have paid rich dividends,” she said.
She feels that the new generation will be inspired to see Harmanpreet-led side in the final of the 2025 edition.