‘She played cricket with Boys as a child’: Renuka Singh Thakur’s mother speaks

Renuka Singh Thakur’s love for cricket began on the streets of her Parsa village in Shimla district, where she played with boys using a wooden bat and balls made of cloth, her mother Sunita recalled.

“Renuka was always passionate about cricket and used to play the sport with boys since childhood. As a little girl, she used to make balls out of cloth and play with a wooden bat on the roadside,” Sunita said on Monday.

Her late husband, an ardent cricket lover, had always hoped that one of their children would excel in sports. “Even though he is not with us, my daughter has fulfilled his dreams,” Sunita added.

Renuka’s cricketing talent was first noticed by her uncle, Bhupinder Thakur, a physical education teacher. “He saw that this girl has potential and it was with his support that Renuka got the opportunity to move forward,” Sunita said. He sent her to the Dharamshala Cricket Academy, where her career truly began.

Ahead of India’s historic 52-run win over South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup final, Sunita encouraged her daughter over the phone: “Play for the country and not for you today and win the World Cup.” The family celebrated each falling South African wicket on Sunday and offered a feast to the entire village on Monday in honor of Renuka’s achievement.

Renuka’s father, Kehar Singh Thakur, who worked in the state’s irrigation and public health department, passed away when she was just three. She still carries a tattoo of his name on her hand. “Kehar was so much into cricket that he named his first child Vinod after Vinod Kambli,” Sunita’s relative shared.

From humble beginnings to lifting the World Cup, Renuka’s story is a testament to talent, perseverance, and the support of a family who believed in her dreams.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah praised South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt for her exceptional leadership and record-breaking performance in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Wolvaardt amassed 571 runs in nine innings, including two centuries and three fifties, finishing as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. Shah highlighted that the Proteas’ spirited campaign, combined with record-breaking audiences, showcased the rising standard and global appeal of women’s cricket. “What a tournament for @ProteasWomenCSA who finished runners-up after being superbly led by the run-machine Laura Wolvaardt! The crowds, the record audiences and the standard of play… showed how bright the future of the women’s game is!” he wrote.

Amol Muzumdar spent years hoping for a call that never came. When it finally arrived, it wasn’t to step onto the pitch with a bat, but to play a pivotal role as the strategist behind India’s Women’s World Cup triumph.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the Indian women’s cricket team for winning their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup, describing the achievement as a moment of national pride. Speaking at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025, Modi said, “This event is related to science. But first, I will talk about India’s spectacular victory in cricket. All of India is overjoyed with the success of its cricket team. This is India’s first Women’s World Cup. I congratulate our women’s cricket team. We are proud of you. Your success will inspire millions of young people across the country.”

Cricketer Dipti Sharma’s family celebrating the historic world cup win.

Watch the moment India Women’s team won their maiden World Cup .

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta congratulated the women’s team on their maiden World Cup win, adding that they “walked” so that others can “run”.

“WE ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS,” she wrote on X (formerlY Twitter).

Zinta added, “Congratulations to the Women in Blue for winning their first-ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup! For every girl who had a dream & for every girl who was mocked on the cricket ground, this victory is for you. These girls walked so you can run. Women’s cricket will never be the same again. Thank you to every girl in this Squad for making this happen. So so proud of this incredible team.”

Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, congratulated the women’s team for the historic World Cup win.

As India clinched the ICC Women’s World Cup final against South Africa by 52 runs, sky around DY Patil Stadium, where the team was staying, lit up with fireworks.

“You have not just created history, you’ve created a legacy that will inspire generations of girls!” wrote former cricketer and former BJP MP Gautam Gambhir.

He ended his post with the hashtag “legends forever”.

Home Minister Amit Shah said that yesterday’s win is the “crowning moment for the entire nation”.

He added, “Your stellar cricketing skills paved the path of inspiration for millions of girls.”

Check his entire social media post below:

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who is an avid cricket fan, said that Sunday’s match reminded him of India’s iconic World Cup wins in 1983 and 2011.

“That was a nail-biting women’s World Cup cricket final, memories of 1983 and 2011 indeed,” he said on X (formerly Twitter), before adding, “Congrats to team India, I am sure it will inspire a whole generation. Great tournament from South Africa too!”

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has announced a cash reward of Rs 51 crore for the World Cup-winning Women’s cricket team.

“Put your hands together for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 winners,” BCCI Women wrote on X (formerly Twitter). It followed the cricket body’s, “Let the celebrations go long into the night,” appeal.

“Inspiration for generations to come, you’ve made every Indian proud with your fearless cricket and belief throughout. You guys deserve all the accolades and enjoy the moment to the fullest. Well done Harman and the team. Jai Hind,” India’s veteran cricketer Virat Kohli posted on X.

“A spectacular win by the Indian team in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Finals. Their performance in the final was marked by great skill and confidence. The team showed exceptional teamwork and tenacity throughout the tournament. Congratulations to our players. This historic win will motivate future champions to take up sports,” Narendra Modi wrote on X.

“1983 inspired an entire generation to dream big and chase those dreams. Today, our Women’s Cricket Team has done something truly special. They have inspired countless young girls across the country to pick up a bat and ball, take the field and believe that they too can lift that trophy one day. This is a defining moment in the journey of Indian women’s cricket. Well done, Team India. You’ve made the whole nation proud,” One of India’s most celebrated cricketers, Sachin Tendulkar, posted on X.

India’s woman with the golden arm, Deepti Sharma who took 5 wickets today with an economy of 4.11 was awarded the player of the tournament for an era-defining Women’s ICC World Cup 2025, which saw a new champion emerge and 2 record-breaking chases.

Shafali Varma who was not a part of the national squad till last week delivered a fantabulous performance in the final where she scored 87 runs of the 78 balls and took two vital wickets in the game to break some powerful partnerships for South Africa. In light of her amazing achievements in this game, Shafali Varma was recognised as the player of the match in the World Cup final today. With this, Varma became the youngest player ever to receive the player of the match award in a World Cup final.

India’s women in blue win World Cup for the first time. IND skipper Harmanpreet Kaur takes an incredible running catch towards the end of the 45th over to actualise the World Cup dream for Team India.

South Africa’s last minute game changer, Nadine de Klerk brought some life into the game as she hope to took the game to the last mile!

Team India drops two big catches back-to-back to give SA batters a much-needed lifeline, Kranti Gaud gets subbed due to a thumb injury. SA 232/8 (44.2)

Last of South African batters, Ayabonga Khaka and Nadine de Klerk put in their all on the field today as the players go the extra mile to rake in as many runs for SA as they can as the game proceeds into the death overs. Klerk smashed an impressive boundary in the last over to give a beffiting response to Team India. SA 231/8 (43.5)

Deepti Sharma bowled an impressive stunner that completely left Tryon baffled, thumped the batter on the front pad, and given! Immediately reviewed by Tryon! But Deepti, irrespective, is having a day out in Navi Mumbai, on India’s day of days! This is zipped in very full on leg stump. Tryon falls across a touch and then plays all around it. Smoked on the front pad and this looks pretty adjacent if there is no bat involved. Well, Tryon has missed this comfortably. Ball Tracking comes up and…shows the ball to be clipping the outside of leg stump. Umpire’s Call, and that Umpire’s Call has been celebrated across the length and the breadth of this nation. Tryon dejected, and that is another potentially decisive moment in this contest! SA 221/8 (42)

Deepti Sharma to Wolvaardt, OUT. Miscued a mile up, and Amanjot takes it, after multiple attempts! A juggling act that would have had a billion hearts beating faster, but it has been taken, and there is a roar at the ground! Given a bit of air on a length on the stumps. Wolvaardt’s eyes light up and she has an almighty mow at it. Gets under it too much, though, and Amanjot is in the game at deep mid wicket. She runs around to her left, and the ball initially seems to pop out. But Amanjot keeps her eyes on it till the end and manages to snaffle it with a fling of her right mitt, right as it is threatening to dash Indian hopes. What a moment in the game, and Wolvaardt walks back after another majestic World Cup knockout hundred! SA 221/7

SA skipper Laura Wolvaardt smashes her second and consecutive 100 in the World Cup. Demonstrating the point of leading by example to perfection, South African captain struck a superb century in the World Cup Final to score 101 from 97 deliveries. This makes her one of the only two women to ever accomplish such a feat. However, keeping the big picture in mind SA skipper refuses to celebrate much as she looks keen to go on to lead SA to victory! SA 218/6 (40.5)

Sharma to Dercksen, OUT. A corker of a yorker and Dercksen is a goner! Scrambled seam yorker at 86kph on off stump, Dercksen fails to get her bat down in time and Navi Mumbai roars in delight. A timely wicket for India, with South Africa just ticking away. SA 211/6 (39.5)

Keeping SA’s chances alive in the battle. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt smashed two back-to-back boundaries in the last over to retain SA in the battle for the trophy in this nail biter of a World Cup Final. SA 209/6 (39.3)

Harmanpreet Kaur’s on-field placements have been spot on, with attacking fields in the middle overs creating constant wicket chances. Her proactive shifts between overs are visibly unsettling the Australian batters. Furthermore, India’s Jemimah Rodrigues’ proactiveness in the field has saved the national side some very crucial singles and doubles in the game. SA 203/5 (38.5)