Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami Reflect on India’s World Cup Triumph

The discussion began with the powerful moments after India’s victory, when the current team invited Mithali and Jhulan to join the celebrations. Jhulan recalled how young players had once promised her they would win a World Cup for her — and they finally did. Mithali spoke about how India’s journey from struggling for basic resources to becoming world champions reflects years of steady progress.

Both legends shared their early struggles — from financial hardships to social bias. Jhulan spoke about traveling long hours by train, facing criticism for choosing sport, and buying cricket gear only once a year. Mithali talked about limited match fees, lack of recognition, and how families often hesitated to support girls in cricket. Despite these challenges, both played purely for passion and the dream of representing India.

They also addressed the debate about prize money differences. Mithali said comparisons with men’s cricket are unfair because both formats have grown differently over the years. Both agreed that the BCCI has improved support greatly, especially with WPL and better training systems.

Toward the end, Ms. Barkha Dutt concluded by saluting both legends, saying India’s victory would not have been possible without their sacrifices: “You ran the marathon so today’s girls could sprint.”