“This is indescribable; it’s a moment of pride and fulfillment,” says former captain of the national cricket team and one of the game’s most passionate administrators Shubhangi Kulkarni, a day after the present Team India won the first Women’s World Cup after defeating South Africa by 52 runs in a heartstopping match played in Navi Mumbai.For many women cricketers of Pune, Sunday’s match was a time to celebrate more than the match. An upbeat Kulkarni says that the victory was all the more special for all those who had seen women’s cricket evolve from its early modest days, when resources were few but girls played because they had passion and love for the game.“This victory validated the persistence, the belief and the hard work of all the players. It’s not just a win on the field but a victory for every woman who dared to dream to play cricket,” she says.An Arjuna Awardee, Kulkarni says that she would have loved to be part of the current team but “I’m very happy that the players have performed so well and brought this glory to the nation”. She recalls the initial days – she was playing in the 1970s – when some people would either categorically say “Girls can’t play cricket” or mockingly enquire if the women were planning to play “in salwars or saris”. Once again, it was the women who forced them to rethink.“When people started watching girls play and saw that the skill level was pretty good, attitudes began to chang and we started getting respected for what we did. Having said that, sponsorship was always an issue. Because the women’s cricket association was not run by BCCI at the time, there was always a shortage of funds. When we played state matches, a lot of times we travelled in second-class train compartments or unreserved apartments and stayed in dormitories. We come a long long way and I’m very happy about the kind of facilities that the girls are now getting from the BCCI,” she says.Kulkarni has a sports shop at Deccan Gymkhana where, now, she sees parents bringing their daughters to buy equipment and encourage them to play. “Some of the girls are even leaving school and taking up cricket and continuing their education by taking external exams because they want to spend that much time on cricket. That is not something which I encourage because I feel that girls should go to school as well as play. But, it shows that times are different now,” says Kulkarni.Story continues below this adKalpana Tapikar, who played in the second World Cup in 1978, “seeing out team lift the trophy was a proud moment for us”. “Since then, we have seen tremendous growth. When women’s cricket started, there were only three teams. The first nationals was played amongst just three teams. With the multi sport evolution in India, there are better facilities, more opportunities and better exposure. In both ways as well as monetarily. I’m a member of the Apex Cricket Council of the Maharashtra Cricket Association and we are starting academies, one at the Gahunje stadium, called MCA stadium, to make coaching more available,” she says.She recalls challenges from home and outside. “There was social stigma around women playing cricket. We used to travel in trains and live in hostels with our managers. Today, players are given better guidance, separate coaches for balling and batting, physiotherapists, trainers coaches, better guidance. If there’s any challenge, it would be of representation. I believe that women’s cricket needs more representation. For all states, equal representation would take the game further and I believe yesterdays win could be called the onset of it,” says Tapikar.Tapikar believes that the Women’s Premier League should be implemented in all states. “If there’s one for men, then there should be one for women, for equal representation and equal opportunities. The winning team are unstoppable now and have a bright future ahead,” she says.According to Pratibha Katamble Tore, the Maharashtra women’s team coach, the world cup “was something we had been waiting for years, especially after 2017 when we almost won the World Cup”. She added that a few days ago, the Maharashtra team also won the T20 trophy “so these two victories have given me a lot of happiness”.Story continues below this ad“The team spirit was what stood out to me the most for yesterday’s match. This is not an individual game, you need teamwork which is what I believe shined the most during yesterday’s match,” she adds. The coach says that, unlike in the past, a lot of importance has started being given to players’ mental health and psychologists help them work better. An area of improvement are the facilities that are provided to zonal, district and state players. “I think they deserve more attention and facilities,” she says.