50 years – the number of years India waited for its first Women’s World Cup trophy since it was first held.

By lifting the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup title, the Indian women’s team has changed how everyone views women’s sports in India.

The victory signals their emergence from the shadows and resets the mindset from “whether they can” to “Yes, they can.” 

Shift to the Mainstream

For too long, Indian sports have been dominated by men, and the women have survived in the shadows, underfunded, undertelevised, and underappreciated.

As the Indian women won the crown of the world champions, they changed the script altogether. This win not only brought them out of the shadows, but it also meant that they are being noticed. From brand endorsements to media to dedicated TV segments, the women are set to get a share of the big pie now.

From Grassroots to the Big Leagues

Young girls, who idolized players like Mithali Raj or Oinam BemBem Devi, would want to step onto the field to train and participate in the sport of their choice.

This would also change how parents view women’s sports. They would encourage their daughters to aspire for and achieve their athletic dreams. This would push for improvement in the present grassroots programs as well as infrastructure across different sports and increase investments from big corporations in the form of sponsorships.

Sponsorships – Not just for the men anymore

Investment follows visibility.

For years, the investors feared, asking themselves, “Will women’s sports sell?” The World Cup victory gave them the answer, loud and clear.

Brands are looking for multi-year sponsorships, looking to benefit from the viewership of the final match that broke previous records.

And this would also help in improving the overall infrastructure at the grassroots level to help produce more future stars.

Maintaining the Momentum

Winning the World Cup, a great achievement in itself, is one thing, and maintaining focus and momentum after the tournament is another.

Momentum, if lost, is tough to regain.

The sports governing bodies and the media would have to play an important role in making sure that the spark ignited by the victory stays strong.

The sports governing body has to make sure that the existing infrastructure is maintained and improved and new facilities are available in different locations where they are absent.

Further, the media can also play a role in running regular segments on women of sports, their journeys, and how they have left an impact on women’s sports.  

FAQs

Q: How would India’s World Cup win impact young girls?
A: The win would inspire young girls to enroll in grassroots-level programs, making sports a realistic career in India.

Q: How does this victory impact other sports?
A: This victory will push brands to invest in women’s sports and not just cricket, in all sports across the board.

Q: What are the challenges that women’s sports still face?
A: Gap in infrastructure, safety, and lack of access.

Q: Is there a way I can support women’s sports?
A: Yes, you can support the women’s sports by regularly watching their matches, celebrating their success, and participating in activities that promote women’s sports.

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has shown that:
Hard work turns applauses into action and doctrines into dreams.