India’s remarkable Women’s World Cup 2025 triumph felt like a true fairytale. Few had anticipated Harmanpreet Kaur’s team would even reach the final, especially after a shaky group stage threatened to derail their entire campaign. Yet, what unfolded was one of the most incredible turnarounds in Indian cricket history – a resurgence that, as Harmanpreet herself revealed, was ignited by an impassioned team talk from head coach Amol Muzumdar.
The hosts began the tournament strongly with victories over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but then stumbled with consecutive losses to formidable opponents like South Africa, Australia, and England. With their semifinal hopes hanging by a thread, India desperately needed a catalyst. That pivotal moment arrived after the defeat to England, when Muzumdar delivered a powerful and stern reminder of the immense stakes.
Recounting that turning point after India’s decisive 52-run victory over South Africa in the final, Harmanpreet shared, “The last month has been incredibly interesting. It’s quite rare when things don’t go according to your plans, yet you manage to stay so positive. We were truly yearning for this cup – that desire was something special within our group. Not a single player expressed despair, saying, ‘What will we do now?’”
She elaborated, “Everyone simply thought, ‘It’s okay.’ After losing the match against England, we were genuinely heartbroken. We were on the verge of winning, but we collapsed, a pattern we’d seen before. That day, Amol Muzumdar Sir firmly told us, ‘You cannot keep making the same mistakes. You *must* cross that line.’ After that day, everything shifted for us. We realized we couldn’t continue repeating past errors; we had to approach every game with a strong mindset. That particular night truly changed a lot for us all; it had a profound impact on everyone.”
Following this transformative moment, India impressively defeated New Zealand in a crucial virtual quarter-final, pulled off a stunning upset against Australia in the semifinals, and ultimately clinched the championship title with an exceptional all-round performance from Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma in the final.
Reflecting on this historic achievement, Harmanpreet stated, “We’ve been discussing this for many years – playing good cricket, but always needing to win one major tournament. Without that win, we couldn’t truly talk about change.”
She continued, “Ultimately, fans and the audience want to see their favorite team win. It’s not that we weren’t playing good cricket, but we were desperately waiting for this moment, and today we had the chance to live it. I don’t know how to fully express it, but I’m incredibly happy and so proud of this team. I’m just trying to articulate what I’m feeling. I am numb; I can’t quite grasp it. He (a journalist) asked two questions, and I only managed to answer one,” she added with a warm smile.
That night truly belonged to India – but its remarkable spark came from a tough, honest conversation that transformed collective heartbreak into an unforgettable slice of history.