Sachin Tendulkar reminisces 1983 World Cup, sees CWC 2025 as watershed moment for women's cricket in India
The Women's World Cup has returned to India after 12 years, being a much more widely watched product, with much higher stakes, including reputations, a lot more money involved and probably an event for the ages for women's sport in the country. The 1983 World Cup is still considered 'the' moment which put Indian cricket on the sporting map of the world and as per Sachin Tendulkar, who witnessed it first-hand, feels that the CWC 2025 could be for women's cricket what the tournament 42 years ago did for the men's game in the country.
“That win told an entire generation of young Indians that dreams need not be constrained by boundaries,” Tendulkar wrote in his column. "The stories from that campaign, like Kapil paaji’s legendary 175 against Zimbabwe - a knock that might not have been televised but is immortalized, are etched in our memory as folklore.”
"Standing on the sidelines that day, watching heroes up close, I resolved that one day I too would wear that India jersey," Tendulkar added.
“Now, nearly four decades later, I sense that women’s cricket in India stands on the cusp of its own watershed moment. The upcoming Women’s World Cup will not just be about chasing a trophy; it will be about igniting countless dreams," Tendulkar further said.
India may not be the firm favourites but Tendulkar believes what the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana have been able to achieve, the young girls would aspire to play and become cricketers like the two of them, while hailing the captain's famous World Cup 2017 knock in the semi-final against Australia, which will forever be etched in the folklore of Indian cricket.
“The sheer audacity of her strokeplay, the clarity of her mind, and the courage in her heart took women’s cricket in India into a new orbit. I believe that was the moment when many stopped seeing women’s cricket as a sideshow—it became centre stage," Tendulkar added.
Having recently played against Australia, the Indian women's team would have some experience of playing against the toughest opponent in the game and that will keep the Women in Blue in good stead ahead of what's to come. The eight-team tournament kicks off in Guwahati on Tuesday, September 30, with India taking on Sri Lanka, who will be the co-hosts of the event.
