A billion dreams flowered, and the packed D Y stadium in Navi Mumbai was drenched in tears of joy as the women in blue finally capped the journey of belief with a spectacular win of the ICC Women’s World Cup, beating South Africa in an exciting final. It was around midnight that the rain-forced delay contest ended, but nobody was complaining, for such was the moment, something Indian cricket had been eagerly waiting for. After failing twice earlier in 2005 and 2017 to capture this grand reward after being at a grabbing distance, the Indian women made it third time lucky and appropriately in the city of cricket, that is Mumbai! So, the women have finally won an ICC trophy, and who knows, this could just be the beginning of another journey of not just self-belief but excellence. If this big show cannot inspire women to take to sports in a big way, not just cricket, then what else can!

It is just as well that all this has happened when sports in general in the country are slowly but surely breaking down self-enforced hackles and demanding attention. The Government too has not been lagging behind. The success in getting the hosting rights of the next Commonwealth Games to be held in 2030 (a formal announcement is expected later this month from the Commonwealth Sports’ General Assembly) is a........

© Mathrubhumi English