- By Namrata Vijay
- Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND-W vs SA-W Women's World Cup 2025 Final: When PM Modi had interacted with the Women in Blue on Wednesday, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was left surprised by a question as to why she kept the match ball in her pocket after winning the final. This was a small yet brilliant gesture as it brought the Indian cricket team together.
After 42 years, when Sunil Gavaskar too did the same thing after winning India's first World Cup title in 1983, Harmanpreet unintentionally repeated the same gesture in Navi Mumbai. She replied to this question honestly.
“This was also god's plan, sir. It was only all of a sudden. I didn’t know the last catch would come to me. After all these years of hard work, when it did, I just felt it should stay with me,” she told PM Modi.
South Africa's Nadine de Klerk, while chasing a mammoth target of 299 runs, had mistimed a shot in Deepti Sharma's over, and the ball went towards cover. That's when Harmanpreet jumped and took the catch, and helped the team win the title. While celebrating, she had kept the ball in the pocket.
Their 52-run win against South Africa had ended the years of heartbreak and close calls.
Harmanpreet Kaur's brilliant leadership had a huge role in the summit clash. She let Shafali Verma bowl two overs, and that decision worked in their favour. Shafali took two wickets of Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp and helped the hosts dominate. Deepti Sharma's five-for and Shafali Varma taking two important wickets and scoring a brilliant knock of 87 runs, the hosts had put up a brilliant performance to lift this trophy.
Harmanpreet, gently keeping the match ball in her pocket, was a simple gesture that reminded everyone of India's first World Cup win at Lord's in 1983.