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Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the triumphant Indian Women’s World Cup team at his residence on Wednesday, congratulating them for their historic World Cup victory and lauding their “remarkable resilience and comeback”. A video of their interaction was shared on Thursday, capturing the team’s heartfelt exchanges with the Prime Minister. During the meeting, PM Modi praised the cricketers for overcoming a difficult start to the tournament, including three consecutive defeats and social media trolling, before staging a stunning turnaround to lift India’s maiden 50-over World Cup trophy. “You all have done a very big job,” the Prime Minister said. “In India, cricket is not just a game, it has become the life of the people. If everything goes well in cricket, the entire country feels good, but if there is anything wrong in cricket, the entire country shakes,” the Prime Minister added. Head Coach Amol Mazumdar expressed gratitude on behalf of the team, saying, “We feel honoured and privileged coming here.” “The daughters of the country have done wonders. They have been putting a lot of effort into it for the last two years. They have played with the same intensity and energy in every practice session,” Mazumdar said. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana recalled their last meeting with the Prime Minister after the 2017 World Cup, when India had finished runners-up. “When we met you in 2017, we could not bring the trophy. We asked you about your expectations, and your answer helped us a lot for the next six to seven years. I think it was in our destiny that we won the first World Cup in India. You have always been our inspiration,” she said, adding that seeing women excel in fields like ISRO continues to motivate the team. During the interaction, player of the tournament, Deepti Sharma, told the Prime Minister she had been waiting to meet him since 2017, recalling how his words had inspired her to keep working hard. When Modi mentioned her “Jai Shri Ram” Instagram bio and Lord Hanuman tattoo, she smiled and said they gave her strength. The Prime Minister fondly recalled moments from the team’s journey, including Harleen Deol’s spectacular 2021 catch against England and Amanjot Kaur’s juggling catch in the final, joking, “While catching, you must have been seeing the ball, but after catching it, you must have been seeing the trophy.” He urged the players to continue inspiring young girls across the country and promote the ‘Fit India’ message, stressing the importance of physical fitness and an active lifestyle. India’s World Cup triumph marked a watershed moment for women’s cricket in the country, bringing to fruition years of toil and near misses, as Harmanpreet’s side overcame formidable South Africa to become only the fourth team to lift the ODI title.
