IND vs SA, Women's ODI World Cup 2025 Final:There was a time when India's women cricketers weren't household names, when their journeys to matches began not in team buses but in unreserved train compartments. They lugged their own kit bags and bedding, slept on dormitory floors, and played with borrowed equipment.

That same team-transformed across generations-now stands just one step away from rewriting Indian sporting history. On Sunday, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, Harmanpreet Kaur's India will face South Africa in the Women's World Cup final, chasing a maiden title that could change the landscape of the game forever.

Twice before, India reached the final-once in 2005 and again in 2017-only to fall heartbreakingly short. This time, though, there's a quiet belief that destiny might finally be ready to smile.

'We Had to Carry Our Own Bedding'

Former India captain, commentator, and administrator Shantha Rangaswamy remembers those early struggles vividly.

“From traveling in unreserved (coaches to) sleeping in dormitories on the floor, we (even) had to carry our own bedding, things like that. We had the cricket kit on the back like a backpack and (a) suitcase (in) one hand,” Rangaswamy was quoted as saying in a PTI report.

Those journeys were not just physically taxing-they were symbolic of the battle women's cricket fought for recognition.

“But then, we're so happy that the current lot are getting all the facilities. They deserve it and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The results are showing (now of) all the efforts the girls have put in, the BCCI, the state associations, all that has contributed to the success of women's cricket,” she said.

“The foundation we laid back then, some 50 years back, is bearing fruits now,” she added, her voice carrying a mix of pride and nostalgia.

A Win That Could Change Everything

For Rangaswamy, India's march to the final is not just about a trophy-it's about legacy. A win on Sunday, she believes, could do for women's cricket what Kapil Dev's men did in 1983.

“It will be a huge plus for women's cricket in India because if you see 1983 World Cup win, Kapil's (Dev) team changed the course of direction for men's cricket,” she said.

“This will propel a lot of girls to take to women's cricket. I'm telling you, if we win this, in the next five years the number of women cricketers would have doubled or tripled in this country.”

That prediction isn't far-fetched. With the rise of women's cricket on television, sponsorships, and the Women's Premier League (WPL), the sport has already captured the imagination of a new generation.

The Jay Shah Effect and the WPL Revolution

Rangaswamy was quick to acknowledge the administrative push behind the team's growth. The introduction of the WPL in 2023, she said, was a turning point.

“When Jay Shah was the (BCCI) secretary, he made a lot of changes. I'm sure (all that) gave a big boost to women's cricket. I am saying this because I was on the apex to support women's cricket. That has paid a lot of dividends,” she noted.

The league not only gave Indian players the exposure of sharing dressing rooms with global stars but also brought financial independence and professional stability-luxuries that Rangaswamy's generation could hardly imagine.

Harmanpreet's Knock and the Fire Within

If the semifinal against Australia was a test of nerve, Harmanpreet Kaur's innings was the stuff of folklore. Her composed, classy knock anchored India's chase and silenced the seven-time world champions.

“(After) this win over Australia, they deserve the cup. Jemimah's (Rodrigues) knock, she did play well, but I think the best knock was Harmanpreet's. Normally she's done better. She deserves kudos,” Rangaswamy said.

“As a batter and a fielder, she's fantastic. Her innings was of great value to the side. I'm not trying to undermine Jemimah's knock (but) she had two, three lives (reprieves). Harman played class.”

Those words reflect the emotion of someone who has watched the evolution of women's cricket from its humblest beginnings to its grandest stage.

A Journey Worth Every Mile

From dusty grounds and borrowed kits to floodlit stadiums and live broadcasts, Indian women's cricket has travelled a road that few believed possible. Each step-from the struggles of Rangaswamy's era to the swagger of Harmanpreet's team-tells a story of resilience, sacrifice, and belief.

On Sunday, as India take the field against South Africa, they won't just be playing for a trophy. They'll be playing for every girl who once dreamed of holding a bat but never dared to.

If they win, it won't just be a victory-it'll be the closing of a circle that began on those long, bumpy train rides half a century ago.

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