From the heartbreak of 2017 to the unforgettable triumph of 2025, the journey of the Indian women’s cricket team has been nothing short of inspirational. Led by the ever-determined Harmanpreet Kaur, India finally ended its long wait for a maiden ICC title by lifting the Women’s ODI World Cup trophy in front of a roaring home crowd. In what was their first World Cup final appearance since the painful loss in 2017, India defeated South Africa by 52 runs at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, scripting a historic chapter in Indian cricket.

Much like 2017, the newly crowned champions were invited to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence in New Delhi. India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana took a moment to recall the words PM Modi had shared with them eight years ago—a message that stayed with the team through every challenge.

“When we came to meet you without the trophy in 2017, I remember asking you about expectations. Your answer stayed with us. It helped us,” Smriti Mandhana told PM Modi during the interaction. “For 6–7 years, we tried again and again, facing heartbreak after heartbreak at World Cups. Maybe it was destiny that India’s first Women’s World Cup trophy would come at home.”

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Mandhana also highlighted how women across the nation have been excelling in every field—be it ISRO, science, or space exploration—and how these achievements have pushed the team to raise their own bar.

“We see women everywhere today, breaking barriers. It motivates us to do well and inspire more girls to dream big,” she added. The meeting also had its light-hearted moments. Harleen Deol, known for her lively personality, cheekily asked PM Modi about his skincare routine. The room burst into laughter as the Prime Minister chuckled and replied, “I do not think about all that.”

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PM Narendra Modi praised the women for their historic campaign, emphasising how deeply cricket resonates with the Indian public. “Cricket is not just a game in India—it is an emotion. When cricket does well, India feels good. When something goes wrong, the entire nation feels it,” he said.

He also interacted with Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma, asking about her viral Hanuman tattoo, before Harleen’s humorous question once again brought smiles across the room.