The confetti has settled, the champagne has been sprayed, and the World Cup trophy is finally in Indian hands. Yet, amidst the deafening roar of a billion celebrations, the architect of the final chase, Smriti Mandhana, captured the surreal emotion of the moment in five simple, devastatingly honest words: “I still can’t process it.”
Her words resonate because they speak for every Indian fan who watched with bated breath, and for a team that has carried the weight of expectation for years. This feeling of disbelief, this inability to “process it,” goes deeper than just one game; it’s the culmination of a long, arduous journey.
A Victory Forged in Past Heartbreak
Who can blame her for feeling overwhelmed? For years, this golden generation of Indian women’s cricket has been knocking on the door of history. They were the ‘so-close-yet-so-far’ story, carrying the scars of past heartbreaks – the agonizing final at Lord’s in 2017 and a series of semi-final stumbles.
But last night, under the brilliant floodlights of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, they didn’t just knock on the door; they kicked it down. They shattered the glass ceiling of expectations and strode into immortality, exorcising the ghosts of previous tournaments with a performance defined by courage and determination.
Mandhana’s Masterclass in the Final
Smriti’s innings in the final was a masterclass in controlled aggression. It was a perfect blend of her trademark elegant drives through the covers and the brute force of her pull shots. She absorbed the early pressure from a world-class bowling attack and laid the foundation upon which this historic victory was built.
When she raised her bat for a match-winning half-century, it wasn’t just a personal milestone; it was a statement of intent. It was the calm that preceded the victorious storm, an innings that paved the way for glory.
More Than Just One Player’s Dream
While Smriti’s words captured the collective feeling, this triumph was the result of a total team effort. It’s for Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s stoic leadership, holding the team together through thick and thin. It’s for Shafali Verma’s explosive fearlessness at the top of the order, rewriting the rules of power-hitting. It’s for the spin wizardry of Deepti Sharma and the fiery pace of Renuka Singh, who delivered crucial breakthroughs when it mattered most.
This triumph wasn’t born overnight. It was forged in the fires of past defeats by a team that learned, evolved, and came back hungrier and stronger than ever.
The Ripple Effect: Inspiring a Generation
When Smriti says she still can’t process it, she speaks of a dream so big that its realisation feels like a fantasy. For millions of young girls watching back home—in the gullies of Mumbai, the fields of Punjab, or the academies in Bengaluru—this victory has processed into something very real: inspiration.
It tells them that the dream is possible. It shows them that a girl with a bat in her hand can conquer the world. The impact of this win will be felt for generations, supercharging the Women’s Premier League (WPL), attracting more investment, and cementing the women’s team as bona fide superstars.
So, let it take time, Smriti. While you and the team try to process the victory, India is already celebrating it. You are World Champions. Process that.
