The Indian women’s cricket team created history, lifting the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time with a thrilling win over South Africa in Mumbai. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with a five-wicket haul from Deepti Sharma and an 87 from Shafali Verma, this was a victory in the making for years.
like The nation celebratesHere are three essential reads that explain how women’s cricket reached this crucial moment:
Free Kick: The Story of Women’s Cricket in India by Subrita Das
A chronicle of the pioneers who paved the way from 2017’s rise to India’s 2025 World Cup win. (Source: HarperSports India/HarperCollins)
A landmark work of sports journalism, Free Hit (Harper Sport India / HarperCollins Publishers) tells the story of Indian women’s cricket. It covers her journey from her underfunded beginnings to her modern fame. Author Suprita Das, a veteran sports journalist and RedInk Award winner, draws on years of reporting to trace the journeys of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, the brave souls who built today’s victory platform. Das captures both the triumphs and institutional neglect that characterized the sport’s early decades, and offers a rare insight into the systemic gender biases that female athletes struggled to overcome. This is the basic backstory – the book that explains how India came to be Heartbreak 2017 To the glory of 2025.
Fire Burns Blue: A History of Women’s Cricket in India by Siddhanta Patnaik and Karunya Keshav
The definitive history of the women’s game in India – from the pioneers of the 1970s to the era of Harmanpreet. (Westland Sport)
In this history of the game, published by Westland Sport, authors Siddhanta Patnaik and Karunya Keshav, who were among the few Indian journalists to attend the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s, trace the sport’s journey from the 1970s – when teenage pioneers like Diana Edulji, Shanta Rangaswamy and Shubhangi Kulkarni played for the sheer fun of it, all the way to the modern professional era. Their narrative captures the turning point in Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171st not out in 2017, the moment when India woke up to women’s cricket. The book is an indispensable reference for anyone who wants to understand where this victory came from.
Cricket for Women and Girls: How We Can Grow the Game Together by Lydia Greenway
A practical blueprint for turning today’s celebrations into long-term popular growth.
A practical guide and passionate manifesto rolled into one, Cricket for Women and Girls (self-published Kindle edition) comes from Lydia Greenway, the former England international who played 14 Tests, 126 ODIs and 85 T20Is, and later founded Girls’ Cricket. Drawing on her global experience as a player, coach and broadcaster, Greenway offers practical advice to schools, clubs and communities on how to nurture women’s cricket, with insights from stars such as Charlotte Edwards, Heather Knight and Isa Guha. India’s win will inspire thousands of young girls to pick up a racket. Greenaway’s book shows how to turn this inspiration into a sustainable opportunity.
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(Tags for translation) Women’s cricket
