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New Delhi: Former India captain and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has praised India's Women's World Cup victory as one of the greatest in the country's cricketing history. After the triumph on November 2, some have compared it with the men's iconic 1983 World Cup victory, to which Gavaskar pointed out that the Women in Blue created their own path.
India finally ended their long wait for a Women's World Cup title, defeating South Africa in a high-scoring final in Navi Mumbai. The Women in Blue overcame the heartbreaks of 2005 and 2017 to finally clinch the maiden ICC trophy.
Writing for Sportstar, Gavaskar said that the historic win will bring a massive revolution in women's cricket, adding that it will motivate young girls to pick up their bats and dream of a career in sports.
He said that there were some who tried to compare this victory with the men's team winning the World Cup in 1983, but the men had never advanced beyond the group stage in earlier editions.
"So everything from the knockout stage onwards was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before this magnificent triumph," Gavaskar wrote.
Gavaskar further added that just as the 83 win changed Indian cricket and gave it a voice that was heard around the world, the Women's World Cup triumph will make the other countries realise who started women's cricket long before India that their era of domination has been shaken.
Gavaskar wrote that the 1983 win encouraged parents of aspiring cricketers to let their children play the game professionally, and the IPL took it to another level. He also added that it is the reason why today's Indian men's team includes players not just from the metro cities but from across the country.
"Similarly, this win will give new wings to women's cricket, bringing more girls into the game from the remotest parts of India. The WPL has already begun that process, as parents now see the sport as a genuine career option for their daughters, and are more willing to support them," he added.
The Women in Blue will be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday, November 5. Harmanpreet and Co. landed in the capital city to a rousing reception on Tuesday evening.
