After India’s women’s cricket team lifted their first-ever World Cup trophy on Sunday, a wave of pride swept across the nation. The victory, described as a golden moment in Indian sports history, symbolized years of struggle, determination, and gradual change within women’s cricket.

But even as the country celebrated, an old and deeply unsettling comment by former BCCI president N. Srinivasan began circulating again — reminding many of the difficult path women cricketers had to walk to earn respect and recognition.

In a 2017 interview, former India captain Diana Edulji revealed that when she had gone to congratulate Srinivasan after he became BCCI president in 2011, he allegedly told her, “If I had my way, I wouldn’t let women’s cricket happen.” According to Edulji, the seasoned cricket administrator “hated” the idea of women’s cricket and viewed it as an unnecessary distraction from the men’s game.

Edulji, one of the fiercest advocates for women in sports, has never shied away from calling out bias in cricket administration. She stated, “I’ve always been a BCCI basher, right from the day women’s cricket came under their fold in 2006. The board has always been male-dominated and reluctant to let women take charge. I was vocal about it even during my playing days.” Her words reflected the frustration of many women players who, despite their talent, had to fight institutional resistance just to be taken seriously.

Fast forward to 2025, and the situation has changed dramatically. Under the fearless leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, Team India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling World Cup final. The win came on the back of Deepti Sharma’s stunning bowling spell of 5/39 and Shafali Verma’s powerful 87 off 78 balls, as India set a daunting total of 298/7. South Africa’s chase ended at 246, despite a valiant 101 from skipper Laura Wolvaardt.

As celebrations filled the streets, Harmanpreet maintained her trademark composure and humility. Addressing critics and supporters alike, she remarked, “Criticism is part of life. It helps keep us grounded. If everything goes well, you risk becoming overconfident. So I don’t blame anyone — it only makes us stronger.”

Her balanced response carried a powerful message — that criticism, once used to undermine women’s cricket, had now become the fire that fueled their strength.

The transformation of Indian women’s cricket has been especially noticeable in recent years, particularly after Jay Shah took over as BCCI secretary. Initiatives such as the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and the introduction of equal match fees for women’s cricketers have helped bridge the gender gap in Indian cricket. These measures, though long overdue, have provided players the infrastructure and respect they had fought for decades to earn.

Following the World Cup win, Harmanpreet once again addressed questions about criticism and the team’s resilience. She said, “I think criticism is also a part of life. It’s not necessary that everything should be good.” She further explained, “Criticism is one of the main things in life because it brings balance. Otherwise, if everything goes well, you’ll be overconfident. I don’t blame those who criticise, because we know when we aren’t doing something right.”

Her leadership had come under scrutiny earlier when the team suffered three consecutive defeats in the league stage. Yet, she kept the unit together and inspired a remarkable comeback in the knockout rounds. As she reflected on her approach, she added, “I don’t have much to say, but I like to keep both things balanced. When good things happen, I don’t go too high; when bad things happen, I don’t dig deep.”

For Harmanpreet, emotional steadiness is key — a lesson she also imparts to her teammates. “For me, the most important thing is to stay balanced, and I try to send the same message to my teammates. When everything is going well — it’s okay, well done, but now we have to maintain it. And even when things aren’t going well, we try to keep everyone together so that we can lift that person up.”

Her words mirror the maturity and self-awareness that define this new generation of women cricketers — confident, grounded, and unafraid to challenge old stereotypes.

Sourav Ganguly faces backlash after Srinivasan: old video resurfaces

The debate did not end with Srinivasan. Fans soon stumbled upon another controversial statement — this time from former Indian captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

In an old video that resurfaced online, Ganguly is asked how he would react if his daughter, Sana Ganguly, expressed interest in becoming a cricketer. His response stunned many: “I’ll tell her not to because women are not required to play cricket.”

The video, reportedly from a panel discussion dated November 14, 2013, shows Ganguly speaking alongside musicians and actors during a chat about Sachin Tendulkar’s celebrated career. As the discussion turned to Arjun Tendulkar, Sachin’s son, the host asked Ganguly how he would feel if his daughter pursued cricket. Ganguly explained that Sana was never interested in the sport, adding that she used to attend his IPL matches but eventually stopped. He said, “There is a difference between a boy and a girl. The interests are different. She does a lot of other stuff but academics is must for me.”

The remark, while perhaps casual at the time, has resurfaced in the shadow of India’s historic World Cup win, causing fans to question how deep-rooted gender bias once ran in cricket’s top circles.

However, Ganguly joined the chorus of congratulations following India’s victory, writing on social media, “What an achievement by the girls… they have come a long way in the last 6 yrs. So proud of them… world champions.”

Despite the celebratory note, the resurfaced remarks from both Srinivasan and Ganguly have reignited conversations about how women in cricket had to fight not only on the field but also against the prejudices of powerful figures who once dismissed their potential.