Ravichandran Ashwin says World Cup triumph is bigger than any other major title

Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reckons India’s Women’s World Cup win is bigger than any other World Cup victory. India bested South Africa by 52 runs at Navi Mumbai on Sunday to win their maiden major ICC title.

While the men’s team has won four World Cup titles (two ODI World Cups, two T20 World Cups), Ashwin reckons the Women’s triumph is sweeter than any cricket title India has won so far.

Meanwhile, India posted 298 runs on the board after Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma scored 87 and 58 runs respectively in the final against the Proteas. Subsequently, Deepti Sharma bagged 5-39 to play a key role in skittling out South Africa at 246.

Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “I would put this and rate this as an even bigger and colossal achievement than any other World Cup we have won. Any other World Cup that has been won, this is an even more colossal achievement. Because this has the ability to bring girls out there to practice the game of cricket and take up the sport seriously as a career option. And it is going to change the mindset and conditioning of everybody associated with Indian women and Indian women’s cricket. So it is an even bigger achievement.”

Ashwin recalled that former Indian skipper Mithali Raj was not recoganized by people when she was training in Hyderabad in 2017-18. However, the former all-rounder said it is high time that the Women’s players deserve all the credit they deserve.

“Many years ago, Ambati Rayudu was playing. It was around 2017-18 then, a sensation. He was playing a match at the Gymkhana Stadium in Hyderabad. The entire stadium was packed, and everyone was cheering. But Mithali Raj was already an Indian cricketing superstar. She was there on the ground, practicing. Not many people even knew that it was Mithali Raj.”

“So my point here is, this women’s team has brought us to this point. You know those campaigns we’ve seen so many times saying it’s not about the jersey you are wearing? You can wear Deepti, you can wear Smriti. I think that place and that time have truly arrived. It has arrived,” Ashwin added.

The Indian team will look to carry on the good show.