A historic win that echoed far beyond the field
India’s long-awaited Women’s ODI World Cup triumph was not just a sporting milestone — it was a cultural reset. More than five decades after the inaugural tournament in 1973, which India didn’t qualify for due to the absence of a women’s team, the Women in Blue finally lifted the trophy. A symbolic 52-run victory over South Africa at DY Patil Stadium ended years of heartbreak and struggle, both on and off the field.
The celebration, however, also reignited a sharp conversation about the resistance women’s cricket once faced within its own establishment — especially in light of resurfaced comments from former BCCI president N Srinivasan.
Edulji’s 2017 revelations return to the spotlight
As the Indian team celebrated its win with legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, who laid the groundwork for this generation, the spotlight shifted to another stalwart — Diana Edulji, former India captain and ex-member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators.
Edulji, speaking at an Indian Express event in 2017, had recalled the deep-rooted challenges faced by women in Indian cricket.
“I’ve always been a BCCI basher, right from the day women’s cricket came into the BCCI fold in 2006,” Edulji said.
Her criticism wasn’t isolated. She detailed systemic resistance within the board:
“BCCI is a very male chauvinist organisation. They never wanted women to dictate terms or get into this thing. I was very vocal from the start of my playing days. Even now, I would still say that it is not yet well accepted within BCCI that women’s cricket is doing well,” she added.
But it was her account of an encounter with Srinivasan in 2011 that resurfaced and sent shockwaves across the cricket world.
“When Mr Srinivasan became president, I would like to say that I went to congratulate him at the Wankhede Stadium (after the men’s team’s 2011 World Cup win). He said, ‘If I had my way, I wouldn’t let women’s cricket happen’. He hates women’s cricket,” she continued.
The statement, which drew outrage on social media after India’s World Cup win, was perceived as emblematic of the institutional bias that once suppressed the women’s game.
“It is very difficult for them to accept the fact that this team has done very well,” she stated.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s calm rebuke through results
While Edulji’s testimony shed light on the past, captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s words after the final reflected how far the women’s game has come — and how it continues to battle perceptions.
“I think criticism is also a part of life. It’s not necessary that everything should be good,” Kaur told reporters at the post match press-conference.
Acknowledging past doubts about her team’s potential, she emphasized the role of criticism in shaping a balanced mindset.
“Criticism is one of the main things in life because it brings balance. Otherwise, if everything goes well, you’ll be overconfident. I don’t blame those who criticise, because we know when we aren’t doing something right,” Kauur added.
Her message to the squad, she added, was to remain level-headed in both glory and adversity.
“I don’t have much to say, but I like to keep both things balanced. When good things happen, I don’t go too high; when bad things happen, I don’t dig deep,” she continued.
“For me, the most important thing is to stay balanced, and I try to send the same message to my teammates. When everything is going well — it’s okay, well done, but now we have to maintain it. And even when things aren’t going well, we try to keep everyone together so that we can lift that person up,” she reflected.
The path forward: From resistance to resurgence
The contrast between Srinivasan’s alleged dismissal of the women’s game and the current generation’s rise is stark. The introduction of the Women’s Premier League, increasing visibility in mainstream media, and growing public support signal progress — but Edulji’s remarks remain a reminder that this success wasn’t handed down from the top. It was fought for.
India’s World Cup victory isn’t just a sporting triumph — it’s a cultural rebuttal. A team that was once told it didn’t belong has now authored the most powerful response possible: winning it all on the global stage.
