PM Modi Celebrates Indian Women's Cricket Team's Historic World Cup Victory
A Historic Meeting with the Champions
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the victorious Indian women's cricket team to his residence, commending their extraordinary resilience and remarkable comeback during the World Cup, especially after facing three consecutive losses.
He acknowledged the online trolling the players endured following their initial defeats and praised their mental fortitude in overcoming challenges to achieve a historic win.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur reminisced about their previous encounter with Modi after the 2017 World Cup, expressing hope that they would return with trophies in the future.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana shared that the Prime Minister's encouraging words served as a significant source of motivation for the team.
The team, led by Harmanpreet, arrived in the capital on Tuesday evening, just two days after making history by winning their first-ever global title—the 50-over World Cup—defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final held in Navi Mumbai.
During their discussion, Player of the Tournament Deepti Sharma expressed her long-standing desire to meet Modi since 2017, recalling his encouragement to pursue their dreams.
When Modi mentioned her Instagram bio featuring 'Jai Shri Ram' and her tattoo of Lord Hanuman, Deepti smiled, stating that these symbols provided her with strength.
Harmanpreet inquired about Modi's ability to remain present in the moment, to which he responded that it had become a habitual part of his life.
The Prime Minister also reminisced about memorable moments from the team's journey, including Harleen Deol's stunning catch against England in 2021, which he had shared on social media.
He fondly recalled Harmanpreet's act of keeping the ball from the World Cup final, to which she remarked that she felt fortunate it came her way.
In a light-hearted moment, Modi joked about Amanjot Kaur's juggling catch during the final, suggesting that while catching the ball, she must have been envisioning the trophy.
Kranti Gaud shared that her brother is a huge fan of Modi, who then extended an invitation for them to meet.
Modi encouraged the players to advocate for the Fit India initiative, particularly among young girls, highlighting the rising issue of obesity and the significance of fitness and physical activity.
He urged them to visit their schools to inspire the next generation to engage in sports.
As the players prepare to return to their hometowns, Shafali Verma will head to Nagaland to captain the North Zone team in the upcoming Inter-Zonal T20 tournament.
India's World Cup victory represents a pivotal moment for women's cricket in the nation, culminating years of hard work and near misses, as Harmanpreet's team became only the fourth to claim the ODI title.