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India women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasised the role of fans and supporters in boosting the morale of the players after returning home following the 2017 World Cup final heartbreak.
After faltering to win the World Cup twice in 2005 and 2017, India's drought ended with a 52-run victory over South Africa at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. The 2017 final remained a nightmare that haunted India for many years, considering the position of control they had against England at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's. In 2017, Punam Raut's 86 and Harmanpreet's 51 ensured India remained on track to return home with the coveted title. However, an unprecedented middle-order collapse saw India nine runs short of the title. As India returned home with a heavy heart, fans lifted the team's morale, and from that moment, the women's team took the steps towards ending decades of waiting. "After the 2017 World Cup, we came close and lost the game by nine runs. We couldn't understand how it happened because we were in control. But we got motivation from Indian fans who showed that not only we but the whole nation was waiting for the moment when women's cricket would do something special for them. We were not playing in the stadium. Everybody came together to win this because it wasn't possible to do it alone," Harmanpreet said in a video posted by the BCCI. After eight years, the moment that Harmanpreet and fans across the nation had yearned for finally became a reality. India posted a daunting total of 298/7 on the board, courtesy of Shafali Verma's blistering 87(78) and Deepti Sharma's fiery run-a-ball 58. In reply, skipper Laura Wolvaardt singlehandedly led the fight with a rollicking 101(98) to keep her side in chase. However, the rest of her compatriots crumbled against India's spin attack. Deepti Sharma delivered the final blow, and India experienced a wave of euphoria. For Harmanpreet, it was an emotional moment as she lived her childhood dream. "It was my childhood dream to win the trophy and then go for a shoot. I was dreaming of it for so many years, and finally the day has come, I am super excited. Personally, it is a very emotional moment for me. When I started watching cricket, it was my dream to win the World Cup. It is like magic. I can't understand how everything is falling in place, and finally, we are World Champions," Harmanpreet added. (ANI)
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