New Delhi: It’s exactly a week since India won its first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup with a 52-run win over South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Radha Yadav, the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, said the side celebrated the historic triumph with an unforgettable and sleepless night of dancing and partying in the hotel.
After finishing as runners-up in the 2005 and 2017 editions of the World Cup, India finally emerged triumphant in the 2025 edition of the mega event at home, with the effects of this epochal victory set to bring systematic changes for further advancement of women’s cricket in the country.
“We have been working very hard for many years and God has now given us this reward. So I am feeling very good. We couldn’t sleep. We were together all night. Everyone was dancing and partying.”
“We had dinner and actually, we couldn’t sleep. But when we came out, the way people were looking at us, you could sense the difference. So I think they were also very happy and on seeing them happy, we were also full of joy,” recalled Radha in an exclusive conversation with IANS on Sunday.
When asked if the World Cup-winning feeling had finally sunk in, the Vadodara-based Radha revealed her measured approach to processing the gigantic victory, saying her balanced composure had come after years of mental conditioning developed through experiencing losses.
“If I say personally, I try to treat wins and losses in the same way. Obviously, it feels very good to win a trophy. But I think I will realize after a long time that we won the World Cup, and what we have done for this generation. But for now, I think I’ll stay more in the present.”
“I have practiced a lot of this thing mentally, and because we have seen a lot of losses for so long, we couldn’t take it. I mean, I personally couldn’t take it because I am very emotional about my sport. So I have worked very hard to stay in the present.”
“Winning is a byproduct. You can’t do anything about it and the result. But what you can do is to do your process and routine right – so you can do those things and I look at it from that perspective,” she said.
Recalling the crucial catch by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to dismiss Nadine de Klerk that sealed India’s victory, Radha revealed the tension in her mind and how that pivotal moment kick-started the frenetic, joyful scenes in the stadium bathed in a sea of blue.
“I was saying, ‘please, please, please, le lo, le lo, le lo (take it, take it, take it)’, and then as soon as she took the catch, we all ran to the ground. It was very, very special. The way the crowd supported us all the time, it was raining heavily, but people were still there.”
“The support was massive. There was an aarti of God going on in the ground and I have never felt a more special moment in my life than that – people praying to God for us. So I think it was very special for us and for me personally.”
Radha further remarked on the presence of stalwarts like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra and Reema Malhotra in the winning celebrations and holding the trophy aloft added special significance to the win.
“So far, wherever we have played, we haven’t seen so many legends there. But at this time, everyone was in Mumbai – all those who have done so much for India and contributed so much. This was not just ours – this was also for all the ex-women cricketers who have played without fame, without money, only with passion.”
“So I think all of this goes to them too, as they have also have a contribution. If they hadn’t played this sport, I’m not sure if we would have been able to play this sport because there would have been no platform. So I think all the credit goes to them too. For the coming generation, there will be a lot of motivation for them that yes, we also have to lift the cup.”
Adding a personal dimension to the triumph, her father Omprakash Yadav was also present in the winning celebrations and even held the trophy. “It was very special, because it was also his dream that we win the World Cup. So it was a very cute moment,” said Radha.
Looking ahead, she expressed confidence in the ODI World Cup having a far-reaching impact in the Indian women’s cricketing ecosystem. “I think this will have a big impact on all the girls and boys too. It’s not only in cricket, but in every sport. They will want to make their country proud. They will want to get so much love and support. I think a lot of people will be inspired and we will like that a lot.”
(IANS)
