Since 2000, the Women’s ODI World Cup has featured eight teams.

The 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final in Navi Mumbai has marked a defining moment for the women’s game, with digital viewership figures matching those of some of men’s cricket’s most-watched events.

Still quite overwhelmed by emotions, India’s newest World Cup-winning captain recalled how picking up her sports-tragic father’s “big” cricket bat as a kid ignited the dream that is now a reality.

"Not enough girls play in India still."

Shafali Verma brought her A-game to help India clinch their first World Cup trophy and win the Aramco POTM Award.

India are two-time finalists in the One-Day International world championship, having lost the 2005 and 2017 titles to Australia and England.

The exchange quickly caught fans’ attention for its sincerity, reflecting the growing spirit of mutual respect among women cricketers in South Asia.

"It’s no longer the time to think about just playing well, or winning two or three matches," says Bangladesh batter Sharmin Supta.

With every landmark, from a record chase to an ever-increasing viewership, the women’s game continues to prove that it isn’t a supplement to cricket’s story but the soul that’s been rediscovered within it.

Heather Knight is England's only representative. She hit a hundred in the win over India and also guided England's tricky chase with an unbeaten 79 against Bangladesh.

It is the first time India have qualified for the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup since 2017.

As Joty and company prepare to sign off with the October 26 fixture against India, their campaign has underlined that their biggest battle remains psychological.

After starting their campaign with a win over Pakistan, Bangladesh endured agonising losses against England, South Africa and now Sri Lanka -- each decided in the closing moments.

The first 13 matches of the tournament reached over 60 million viewers -- five times more than the 2022 edition -- while total watch time soared to 7 billion minutes, marking a 12-fold increase from the previous tournament.

After opening their campaign with a seven-wicket win over Pakistan, the Tigresses have suffered three straight defeats but earned plaudits for their fight and competitiveness against top-ranked sides.

For the Tigresses, the numbers reaffirm a sense of gradual progress.

After a three-wicket, last-over loss to South Africa in Vizag on Monday, most players were left in tears in the dressing room, but the camp's mood had brightened by the next day following retrospection.

Captain Nigar Sultana Joty wore both pride and pain on her face after the narrow loss, praising her young side’s spirit.

The contest not only showcased top-class batting from both sides but also rewrote several record books in women’s cricket.

She comes from Barisal, from a home where cricket wasn’t supposed to be a daughter’s dream.