Sunil Gavaskar defies women’s World Cup win similar to 1983-victory:Says, ‘The men had never progressed…’; reflects on impact of WC triumph for girls

Former India cricketer and legend Sunil Gavaskar has negated the fact that India women’s team’s victory in the ODI World Cup 2025 is similar to the 1983 World Cup title claim that Kapil Dev and his men achieved against the mighty West Indies. Notably, many people had compared the maiden World Cup win of the Indian women’s team as a watershed for the female sports, especially cricket. After falling short twice in 2005 and 2017, Harmanpreet Kaur and her team scripted history, ending years of heartbreak and bringing home the World Cup trophy for the first time in its history of 52 years. Despite the parallels with the 1983 win, Sunil Gavaskar stressed that both achievements have different importance and they are not the same. ‘The men had never progressed beyond the group stage’: Sunil Gavaskar While explaining why he does not see the 2025 victory as identical to the men’s triumph in 1983, Gavaskar wrote in his The Sportstar article, “There were some who tried to compare this win with the men’s team winning the World Cup in 1983.” The men had never progressed beyond the group stage in earlier editions, and so everything from the knockout stage onward was new to them, while the women already had a better record, having been in two finals before this magnificent triumph. Notably, Gavaskar’s point sits absolutely right with his statement. The 1983 men’s team was a complete underdog. However, Indian women reached the ODI finals in 2005 and 2017 and the T20I World Cup final in 2020, entering the ODI World Cup 2025 as favourites, besides mighty Australia. Also Read| IPL franchises pay special tribute to Virat Kohli on his 37th birthday The win might not be the same as the 1983 men’s team’s victory for women’s as it is more special. Gavaskar did conclude that the women’s team’s maiden ICC title win might make the same impact for girls as the men’s team’s historic win did for men’s cricket. Gavaskar agrees India women’s ICC title victory can make same impact as 1983 In the same Sportstar article, the India legend mentioned, “Just as the ’83 win galvanised Indian cricket and gave it a voice that was heard around the world, this victory will make the countries that started women’s cricket long before India did realise that their era of domination has been shaken. The ’83 win also encouraged parents of aspiring cricketers to let their children take up the game.” Further adding to his description of how cricket can change women’s cricket’s landscape, he said, “Similarly, this win will give new wings to women’s cricket, bringing more girls into the game from the remotest parts of India. The WPL has already begun that process, as parents now see the sport as a genuine career option for their daughters and are more willing to support them.” Also Read| Virat Kohli turns 37: 37 defining traits that describe cricket’s ‘king’ make him a global sport icon While the men’s 1983 win kicked off a cricketing revolution, Gavaskar believes Harmanpreet Kaur’s World Cup-winning side has inspired millions of girls to take up the sport and be encouraged that they can achieve something big with persistent efforts. GFX Credits: Anas Shakir