Navi Mumbai: India opener Smriti Mandhana said she was still struggling to process the magnitude of her team's achievement, calling it "unreal" after India claimed their maiden Women's World Cup title with a 52-run win over South Africa here on Sunday.
"I don't know how to react to that, it's still sinking in," Mandhana said moments after the victory.
"I haven't been emotional on the cricket field. But yeah, just a very unreal moment, home World Cup and just to read that we are Champions, I just can't, I'm still not able to process it."
India, who had fallen short in previous editions, finally ended their wait for a global title.
Mandhana, who was part of the side that lost the 2020 T20 World Cup final, said the team channelled those heartbreaks into motivation.
"Every World Cup we go in and there have been so many heartbreaks for all of us," she said.
"But we always believe that we have a bigger responsibility with women's cricket and genuinely just to see the support we've got over the last one and a half month and to see people come in, support us.
"It just... I don't know how do I explain the last 40 days but yeah, I mean to end it with a World Cup win today, I will take that, 45 days of not sleeping every night."
Reflecting on the team's journey since the 2020 disappointment, Mandhana said renewed focus on fitness, skills and unity played a crucial role in India's turnaround.
"The last T20 World Cup for sure was a difficult one for all of us to take. We had a clear focus on trying to work on our fitness, trying to be better at each and every aspect," she said.
"The super strength of this team is no one will talk about it but it's the way everyone just stuck in and just played for each other. In a World Cup like this, you just need everyone's support. Everyone was there for each other, good days, bad days. We enjoyed each other's success.
"I just can't tell you the way the team environment is, and I think that's really magic."
Watershed moment for Indian cricket: Muzumdar
===============================
India women's head coach Amol Muzumdar described his team's historic World Cup triumph as a "watershed moment" for Indian cricket, lauding his players for their relentless work ethic and composure under pressure.
"So proud of the girls. I don't know It's not yet sink in but it's an unbelievable achievement by all the girls and they deserve every credit. They deserve everything that that will follow because they have worked terribly hard.
"It's a watershed moment for Indian cricket."
The night belonged to Shafali Verma, who produced a sensational all-round display - smashing a quickfire 87 and then returning with two wickets for 36 runs in seven overs.
Praising the 21-year-old opener, Muzumdar said: "One word - magical. Absolutely magical. She turns up in the semi-final, no pressure in the final in front of a packed home crowd, plays a blinder of an innings and then picks up a few wickets with the ball."
India had endured a tough middle phase in the tournament, losing three games on the trot to South Africa, Australia and England. But the coach said the team never saw those results as setbacks.
"We didn't look at those losses as losses. We just thought that we just couldn't get over the line. That's about it. We dominated a lot majority of those matches so we didn't look at this as losses," he said.
"We just thought that there are some hiccups in the campaign. We were still alive in the tournament and here we are on 2nd November 2025 World Champions."
The coach also credited India's vastly improved fielding and fitness levels for playing a decisive role in the title win.
"Absolutely, I mean that was one thing that we spoke a lot in the dressing room. In the last two years that your feeling and fitness was something that we really spoke about and we focused on it.
"And here we are, I mean, they just turned it up on this day in the World Cup final. I couldn't have asked for more."
"I don't know how to react to that, it's still sinking in," Mandhana said moments after the victory.
"I haven't been emotional on the cricket field. But yeah, just a very unreal moment, home World Cup and just to read that we are Champions, I just can't, I'm still not able to process it."
India, who had fallen short in previous editions, finally ended their wait for a global title.
Mandhana, who was part of the side that lost the 2020 T20 World Cup final, said the team channelled those heartbreaks into motivation.
"Every World Cup we go in and there have been so many heartbreaks for all of us," she said.
"But we always believe that we have a bigger responsibility with women's cricket and genuinely just to see the support we've got over the last one and a half month and to see people come in, support us.
"It just... I don't know how do I explain the last 40 days but yeah, I mean to end it with a World Cup win today, I will take that, 45 days of not sleeping every night."
Reflecting on the team's journey since the 2020 disappointment, Mandhana said renewed focus on fitness, skills and unity played a crucial role in India's turnaround.
"The last T20 World Cup for sure was a difficult one for all of us to take. We had a clear focus on trying to work on our fitness, trying to be better at each and every aspect," she said.
"The super strength of this team is no one will talk about it but it's the way everyone just stuck in and just played for each other. In a World Cup like this, you just need everyone's support. Everyone was there for each other, good days, bad days. We enjoyed each other's success.
"I just can't tell you the way the team environment is, and I think that's really magic."
Watershed moment for Indian cricket: Muzumdar
===============================
India women's head coach Amol Muzumdar described his team's historic World Cup triumph as a "watershed moment" for Indian cricket, lauding his players for their relentless work ethic and composure under pressure.
"So proud of the girls. I don't know It's not yet sink in but it's an unbelievable achievement by all the girls and they deserve every credit. They deserve everything that that will follow because they have worked terribly hard.
"It's a watershed moment for Indian cricket."
The night belonged to Shafali Verma, who produced a sensational all-round display - smashing a quickfire 87 and then returning with two wickets for 36 runs in seven overs.
Praising the 21-year-old opener, Muzumdar said: "One word - magical. Absolutely magical. She turns up in the semi-final, no pressure in the final in front of a packed home crowd, plays a blinder of an innings and then picks up a few wickets with the ball."
India had endured a tough middle phase in the tournament, losing three games on the trot to South Africa, Australia and England. But the coach said the team never saw those results as setbacks.
"We didn't look at those losses as losses. We just thought that we just couldn't get over the line. That's about it. We dominated a lot majority of those matches so we didn't look at this as losses," he said.
"We just thought that there are some hiccups in the campaign. We were still alive in the tournament and here we are on 2nd November 2025 World Champions."
The coach also credited India's vastly improved fielding and fitness levels for playing a decisive role in the title win.
"Absolutely, I mean that was one thing that we spoke a lot in the dressing room. In the last two years that your feeling and fitness was something that we really spoke about and we focused on it.
"And here we are, I mean, they just turned it up on this day in the World Cup final. I couldn't have asked for more."
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