5 legends without whom India Women's could have not win World Cup 2025

The Women's World Cup 2025 triumph is not only a result of the collective effort from the present team India players but also a reflection of the contributions made by the legends of the game. Without the dedication, perseverance, and resilience from some of the former India women's cricketers, Team India could not have won the World Cup in 2025. Behind the historic feats, there are multiple creators who dared to dream big. Through this article, we will try to find out 5 legends of Indian women's cricket, without whom the current scenario could be different. 

Diana Edulji: 

When cricket was limited for girls across the nation, Diana Edulji was the person who inspired the girls to take part in the game. From a young cricketer to becoming a part of the cricket administration, her journey is no less than an epic. She was known for her fierce spin bowling abilities and played for India from 1976 to 1993, a career of three long decades. The slow left-arm orthodox appeared in 20 Test matches and 34 One Day Internationals for India. In the longest format of the game, she amassed 404 runs and claimed 63 wickets at an impressive average of 25.77. And in ODIs, Edulji got 46 wickets, maintaining a remarkable bowling average of 16.84, and scored 2011 runs as well. It was her dream to see the Indian Women's Cricket Team with the World Cup in hand. Harmanpreet Kaur-led India made her dream true.

"I just have no words to explain. This is the proudest moment of my life. 50 years of my being on the cricket field as a player and an administrator. I am just absolutely thrilled… that star on the jersey, it’s now come true, and it’s a proud moment for me," the stalwart said. 

Neetu David:

Inspired by Diana Edulji, Neetu David dared to dream as a cricketer at the highest level of the game. The former India spinner, who is now the BCCI women’s selection committee chairperson, was a key figure behind India's 2005 World Cup run to the final, where they ended their campaign as the second-best team of the tournament. David was the highest wicket-taker in the 2005 Women’s World Cup with 20 wickets. Apart from the World Cup record, another feat of Edulji, to date, remains unmatched. She holds the best bowling figures in women’s Tests with 8/53 against England.

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Anjum Chopra:

Like Neetu David, Anjum Chopra was also an integral part of the 2005 World Cup team India. She was the first Indian women's cricketer to play 100 ODIs. Throughout her illustrious career, the former batter featured in 127 ODIs, 12 Tests, 18 T20s, and 4 World Cups. For exceptional batting qualities and dedication to the game, Chopra was honored with the Arjuna Award (2007) and Padma Shri (2014) and also received the ICC Player of the Match title thrice. After retiring from professional cricket, she emerged as one of the most influential characters in Indian women's cricket. 

Mithali Raj:

The former India captain, under whose leadership stars of the present team like Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Deepti Sharma cemented their positions in the international cricket arena. Raj led Team India in multiple World Cups but was not fortunate enough to claim the title. Mithali Raj, probably the first superstar of Indian women's cricket, represented India 333 times across formats to score 10,868 runs. 

Jhulan Goswami: 

The legendary figure of Indian cricket inspired multiple generations through his unmatched pace bowling skills and leadership skills. The Padma Shri awardee was the first ever Indian woman to take 200 wickets in ODIs. Goswami played over 200 ODIs and more than 70 Test matches for India. She was honored with the ICC Women’s Player of the Year award in 2007.