No one remembers who came second - Have fun, enjoy, but WIN: ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 final

Yes, no one remembers who came second. This is not me, but one of the greatest ever cricketers, Jhulan Goswami said in an interview Bengali newspaper after the defeat in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup final against England. That was Jhulan Goswami’s final Women’s World Cup, and I was old enough to understand the heartbreak she had.

Even I was heartbroken too. After the semi-final win, where Harmanpreet Kaur scored that 171 against the mighty Aussies, and a few of my brothers made posters of the Indian Women’s Cricket team and spread them across the village to recreate what a few of the elders had done for the 2011 ICC Men’s World Cup.

We came close, but the World Cup slipped away. For Jhulan Goswami, that regret may last a lifetime. But if Harmanpreet Kaur and her team make history on Sunday, Goswami might finally find closure. Winning is what matters most.

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But what’s ahead for the Indian Women’s Cricket team?

South African Women’s Cricket team - a team that the Women in Blue have not been able to beat in World Cups since 2017. They have already lost once in a tight game in the first round. India won only 4 games, and lost thrice while reaching the final - an imperfect World Cup, you can say. But who cares?

Who cares when you have just beaten the greatest nation in Women’s Cricket history, that too, like their own way, coming from behind, chasing a record total, and yes, making 140 billion people say, ‘Our girls COOKED the Aussies.”

We saw tears, we saw emotions. We saw Jemimah Rodrigues talking about faith and vulnerability. We saw pride in the fans - it does not matter if he/she had ever supported Women’s Cricket in his/her life before that. We saw change.

But, nothing will frutify if Harmanpreet Kaur is not heading towards the presentation ceremony and bringing the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 trophy for her teammates to lift and celebrate. More than being proud, being told well done, we need Women in Blue on that podium.

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧. 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 🇮🇳#TeamIndia pull off the highest successful run-chase in women's ODI history to enter the #Final 👏🫡

Drop one word for that effort 👇

Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/ou9H5gN60l #WomenInBlue | #CWC25 | #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/S0O2lYf6XO
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 30, 2025

Here is how Women in Blue can beat South Africa in the final

Step 1: Do not look to be perfect

Throughout this entire campaign, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team have not been a perfect team. Even in wins, they were not perfect. But they peaked at the right time. They did what was needed in that very moment. And that is what they need to do in the final as well.

Do not look far away; focus on winning the smaller moments.

Step 2: Contributions from lower order

A few years ago, we used to see Indian Women’s batters not being able to hit boundaries in the final few overs, and finish games. The same thing happened in that 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup final as well. But, in the semi-final against Australia, we saw Amanjot Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh striking over 150 to help India reach home.

These contributions sometimes go under the radar, but they definitely help the team win. In a big final, India's lower order will have to contribute like this for India to push for that trophy.

Step 3: Be sensibly ruthless

As Ravi Shastri had suggested, the India Women’s Cricket team needs to be ruthless before the semis; India needs to continue that in the final as well. But make sure you are sensibly ruthless.

Sometimes applying sense rather than being ruthless becomes important, and India will have to keep the balance between them.

'𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬' 💙 #WomenInBlue, you’ve got one 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 from the #MenInBlue ahead of the #Final 📩🇮🇳#TeamIndia | #CWC25 | #INDvSA | @BCCIWomen pic.twitter.com/qG5chQgszY
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 1, 2025

Step 4: Never ever think you have done well

As Jhulan had said, no one remembers who finished second; ensure you are not even thinking about finishing second. No well-dones, no pats on the back, just think of lifting the trophy, and no one, not even the Gods, can stop you reaching that podium.