Women's World Cup, India vs New Zealand — The Game That Changed Indian Cricket

India vs New Zealand will not be remembered for the result, but for how it reshaped Indian cricket. Maybe, forever.

ICC Women's World Cup 2025, India Vs New Zealand — The Game That Changed Indian Cricket

(Photo: The Quint/BCCI)

Jersey seller Balu Kamble has an assortment of name-number combinations. There’s ‘Virat 18’, ‘Rohit 45’, ‘Dhoni 7’, ‘Gill 77’ and ‘Hardik 33’, among others. Like always, his two bestsellers on Thursday, 23 October, were ‘Virat 18’ and ‘Rohit 45’. Understandably so — they are the biggest stars of Indian men’s cricket, and might not be seen donning the blue for a long time.

But there was a new entrant in the third position of Kamble’s bestsellers list. Not anyone from the many iconic figures from the Indian men’s team, but ‘Smriti 18.’

‘Ye aaj bohot bik raha hai,’ (this is selling a lot today), he tells The Quint. Men, women, children — you couldn’t classify his customers, for, indeed, it was selling like hot cakes.

3:1 — 'Virat 18' outnumbered by 'Smriti 18'

(Photo: The Quint)

Be It For A Day, The 'Virat 18' Shirt Has Come Off For 'Smriti 18'

One of the many fans he sold a jersey to on Thursday is Tanmay. An ardent Virat Kohli fan, this happens to be the first time the 20-something boy will ‘rep’ (Gen Z term, search for its meaning if you are a boomer) a cricketer that is not Kohli. Having ditched his ‘Virat 18’ shirt — and, no, Kohli’s two consecutive ducks have nothing to do with his decision — he has purchased, and put on, a ‘Smriti 18’ jersey.

And, he is flaunting it. Like thousands of other men in Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. The otherwise fragile masculine ego has had no troubles with them flaunting a woman’s name.

Tanmay tells us:

I am a big Virat Kohli fan, and I wear the 'Virat 18' jersey in every game that I go to. Today as well, I was initially wearing that jersey, but then I thought: Wait, this is the Women's World Cup, so why not support our female cricketers instead? That is why I brought a 'Smriti 18' jersey. We need to realise that like Virat's, Smriti's team is also representing the nation. They need our support, and that is why I am here with my mother.

Tanmay

An ardent Virat Kohli fans reps another cricketer for the first time in his life.

(Photo: The Quint)

A Father's Hunt For Role Models For Her Daughter

Pramod Patil has had to take a leave to be at the game on a weekday. It might cost him a day’s salary, when it paled in comparison to what was at stake — inculcating dreams of becoming a cricketer in his daughter.

His DIY poster reads: Smriti & HK. Hitman, no it's women! Victory to the Indian women's cricket team.

I have brought my daughter to the game. I want her to get inspired by seeing the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. They are the pride of our nation. Just because a few results have not gone in our favour, we are telling them to quit cricket. That is ridiculous, because without them, who will be the role model for my daughter? Meri beti kisko dekhkar cricket khelegi? (Who will be my daughter's inspiration to take up cricket?)

Pramod Patil

Man with a message: Pramod Patil's poster

(Photo: The Quint)

Fans Who Chose To Be Defiant

Indeed, some fans — should they be even termed that — have asked for the Indian women cricketers to step aside from the game. The vile, misogynist ‘go back to the kitchen’ jokes have been rife. Some are of the opinion that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were foolish to implement pay parity between the male and female cricketers in terms of their match fee (lest we forget, the annual retainer disparity is still alarming).

Their fault? They have lost three games. That, the men’s team has lost two consecutive games against Australia, can be conveniently brushed aside in a nation that loves blaming women.

Shlok has seen those memes on X. On a platform that runs on hatred and an algorithm that feeds negativity, it is hard to miss. That, however, has not deterred him from travelling to Navi Mumbai. In fact, he is here to make a statement.

We can criticise the players for losing three matches. That is fair and square. But to troll them or say that they do not deserve the same match fee as the men's cricketers is plainly stupid. Women's cricket is in its infancy. Today, you are seeing that the stadium is almost full, and very soon you will not see a single empty seat for a women's game. There was a period when the Indian men's team was losing in every game. We have also lost against the likes of Kenya. Did anyone have an issue with the players' salaries then? Why are we saying it now?

Shlok

'Did anyone have an issue with the players' salaries when the men's team lost to Kenya?' asks Shlok.

(Photo: The Quint)

Sushant Shinde uses Australia’s example to urge fans to support the women’s team.

A World Cup is happening in India. Ab nahin support karenge to kab karenge? (If we don't support them now, then when will he?). We have got really good players. Yes, they might have lost a few matches here and there, but do we not support the men's team even if they lose? Those who are saying that women's cricket will never thrive in India don't have any idea what they are talking about. Australia did not become Australia overnight. Their country supported the players over the years, and now they are the best. We have just started supporting our women's team. Soon, we will be the best.

Sushant Shinde

'Soon, we will be the best,' says an optimistic Sushant Shinde.

(Photo: The Quint)

A Jolt That Didn't Jerk, But Will Change Indian Cricket

Will India ever be the best? Like the Australian women’s team, will they ever win seven ODI World Cup titles?

They might. Or, they might not. It is binary, and it is something we cannot say for certain. What we can say for certain, however, is that a tectonic shift happened in the Indian cricketing fraternity — one that involved nearly 10% of the world’s population — on Thursday.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s team could not have arrived in Navi Mumbai in a more deflated, defeated and demoralised state. They had lost their last three matches — against South Africa, England and Australia — and they were in winning positions in all of those matches.

For cricketing reasons, criticism is indeed justified. Being the most prized stakeholder in any sport, fans have every right to demand accountability. The thin line between criticism and trolling, though, is often crossed in women’s cricket. And very conveniently so.

This set the context for India’s 2025 ICC Women’s Champions Trophy match against New Zealand, and hence, it begged the question — will fans turn up to support India’s girls? Even amid relentless trolling? Even after three defeats?

As it turned out, they did. And they did so in record numbers. A total of 25,116 fans showed up to support the Indian team. It happened to be the highest attended group stage match at any ICC women’s event ever, beating the record of 22,843 spectators set by Guwahati, which also had other offerings like a Shreya Ghoshal performance.

Official attendance — 25,166.

(Photo: The Quint)

Teaching them early: A kid spotted sporting the 'Smriti 18 jersey'

(Photo: The Quint)

Collaboration you never thought you'd see, part 1: Gill, Smriti, Virat.

(Photo: The Quint)

Collaboration you never thought you'd see, part 1: Virat, Jemimah, Smriti.

(Photo: The Quint)

Not every jolt can be felt. Some happen quietly, but their effect is pronounced. Thursday was one such occurrence where a quiet jolt changed the landscape of cricket in India. Where, ‘Smriti 18’ shirts infiltrated the Kohlis and Sharmas of the world. Where, fans proved to be defiant enough to show their support in record numbers after a defeat. The players did not let them down. Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal scored centuries, India defeated New Zealand by 53 runs, and they have now qualified for the semi-final of the tournament.

This game, however, will not be remembered for its result. It will be remembered for how it changed Indian cricket.