Published: Nov 03, 2025, 02:41 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 03, 2025, 02:41 PM (IST)
When the Indian women’s cricket team made history on Sunday night in Navi Mumbai, nearly every cricket fan could feel the emotion of the moment. The team ensured that those who laid the foundation of women’s cricket in India weren’t forgotten, as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side celebrated their historic triumph.
Former legends Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Anjum Chopra were invited to recieve the trophy from the jubilant team – a heartfelt gesture honoring the pioneers who played a crucial role in India’s rise to the top.
India’s hopes of winning the trophy in the 2005 Women’s World Cup final were dashed as they finished runners-up to Australia. Anjum Chopra, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami were among those who took part in that historic match and witnessed the team’s heartbreaking 98 run defeat in the final.
India faced another heartbreaking moment in the 2017 World Cup final, narrowly missing out after a hard-fought campaign. By then, Anjum Chopra had retired, but the new generation – Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma, continued to play important roles with veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami.
It was a touching sight to see the three trailblazers of women’s cricket, Anjum Chopra, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami, celebrating with the very players they once mentored, as their long-awaited dream was finally fulfilled with India’s winning the title on home soil.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Kaur revealed what it was like sharing the gold with India’s biggest stalwarts.
“Jhulan Di was my biggest support. When I joined the team, she was leading it. She always supported me in my early days when I was very raw and didn’t know much about cricket. I used to play with boys, and the school principal picked me up, and within a year, I started representing the country. In the initial days, Anjum (Chopra) provided me with a lot of support. I always remember how she used to take me along with her team. I learnt a lot from her and passed it on to my team. Both of them have been a great support for me. I am very grateful that I got to share a special moment with them. It was a very emotional moment. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy,” she said.
