In 1983, star all-rounder Kapil Dev inspired an entire nation and cricket attained nearly the same status as religion in India.

In one of the sport’s greatest upsets, India stunned Clive Lloyd’s mighty West Indies to land the World Cup at Lord’s.

On Sunday, it was the turn of Harmanpreet Kaur to change the face of the women’s game when she lifted the World Cup for the first time before 40,000 screaming fans at a packed DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. Fans had lined up outside the stadium all night for tickets and they were well rewarded.

This victory over South Africa by 52 runs will finally provides an enduring challenge to Australian and English supremacy, and with the resources promised by the Indian board, one can expect the women to join its men’s team as a global power.

Prior to Kapi

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