Sunil Gavaskar on Women’s World Cup victory, ‘Not Similar’ to 1983, says ‘The men had…
New Delhi: The Indian women’s cricket team won their maiden World Cup title on Sunday night, beating South Africa by 52 runs in the final at Dr DY Patil Cricket Stadium. The victory brought back memories of India’s legendary 1983 men’s World Cup win under Kapil Dev, when a young and fearless team shocked the mighty West Indies. However, cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar believes the two historic triumphs exist in entirely different contexts.
Gavaskar wrote, “The win once again emphasised, if ever it was needed, that sporting intelligence wins trophies, not fancy degrees from universities. It also proves that it will invariably be Indian coaches who get the best results since they know the players – their strengths, weaknesses, and temperament – and understand the nuances of Indian cricket better than any foreigner, however accomplished he or she may be.”
Gavaskar said 2025 World Cup win not similar to 1983 World Cup
The former India captain also elaborated on why he does not compare the 2025 victory to the men’s 1983 World Cup win.
“There were some who tried to compare this win with the men’s team winning the World Cup in 1983. The men had never progressed beyond the group stage in earlier editions, and so everything from the knockout stage onward was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before this magnificent triumph.”
While Kapil’s team entered as clear underdogs, Harmanpreet’s squad had already made their mark globally, reaching the ODI finals in 2005 and 2017, and the T20 World Cup final in 2020. Nevertheless, Gavaskar recognized the extraordinary magnitude of their accomplishment.
“Just as the 83 win galvanised Indian cricket and gave it a voice that was heard around the world, this victory will make the countries that started women’s cricket long before India did realise that their era of domination has been shaken. The 83 win also encouraged parents of aspiring cricketers to let their children take up the game,” he noted.
Gavaskar said how this historic win could change the future of women’s cricket
Gavaskar reflected on how this historic win could change the future of women’s cricket in India.
“Similarly, this win will give new wings to women’s cricket, bringing more girls into the game from the remotest parts of India. The WPL has already begun that process, as parents now see the sport as a genuine career option for their daughters and are more willing to support them,” the former captain added.
News