Off the Field, They Made It Happen! Meet the Families & Coaches Behind India’s Champions

As India celebrates its first-ever win for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, we are reminded that dreams do come true. Persistence, purpose, and passion never fail, and yesterday, in front of a deafening full house at the DY Patil cricket stadium in Navi Mumbai, India defeated South Africa by 52 runs.

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But behind the stadium lights and cameras, there were hopes of families and coaches that always believed that their daughters were made for something great.

Today, as they shine and bring pride to the nation with their exceptional game throughout the World Cup journey, their success stands as a tall belief for those parents and coaches who imagined a different game for their daughters and contributed to Indian’s women's cricket revolution.  

The Indian women’s cricket team today shines with remarkable talent — from Shafali Verma, who began playing at just 15 and became the youngest to represent India in T20S, to Harmanpreet Kaur, the spirited captain who grew up playing alongside both men and women, guided by her first coach — her father. Adding to this legacy is Jemimah Rodrigues, who rose above societal scrutiny with quiet grace, letting her bat and spirit do the talking. 

Together, these trailblazers embody the passion, resilience, and determination redefining the future of women’s cricket in India. 

No victory comes without hard work and the belief that dreams can be achieved. For these stars of the cricket world, every day brought its share of challenges and setbacks — yet neither they nor their families and coaches ever gave up. Their perseverance turned obstacles into stepping stones towards glory.

A father with unwavering faith in his daughter’s dreams

The girl from Rohtak who has swooned away Indians, Shafali Verma, with a match-winning 87 runs and two wickets in the 2025 Women’s World Cup final, reminded the world of her fearless game. 

Her journey in cricket began in Rohtak, where cricket academies refused to admit girls. Her father, Sanjeev Verma, a jewellery shop owner and diehard cricket fan, used to watch cricket with Shafali since she was eight years old. 

They shared a passion, and that’s what moved Sanjeev to not let his daughter give up on her dream of being a cricketer because of societal and gender barriers.

He asked young Shafali to cut her hair short and disguise herself as a boy so she could train alongside other aspiring young cricketers. He travelled hundreds of miles to get her the proper cricket equipment, as local stores didn’t stock junior girls' cricket gear.

He secretly enrolled her at the Shree Ram Narain Cricket Academy under the name of his brother, Sahil. Soon, Shafali, with her energy, enthusiasm, and power-hitting style, stood out amongst the boys of her age.

Despite facing mockery and criticism from society, neither Shafali nor her father backed down from the dream of becoming the best. Shafali outperformed and became the youngest cricketer to play a T20 International for India at the age of 15. Later, she led India to victory in the 2023 U-19 Women's T20 World Cup.

 The father and coach who built India’s fearless woman captain

As captain, it was indeed a proud moment for Harmanpreet Kaur as she led India to their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title. Her tactical acumen, raw power, and composure under pressure are the grit and grace of India’s women cricketers.

Hailing from Moga, Punjab, her journey began on the local ground where she tied her dupatta around her waist and followed her passion to play cricket, unbothered by the societal expectations.

Her father, Harmandar Sigh Bhullar, once gave her a T-shirt that read, ‘ good batsman’, because he always believed in her from the very beginning. 

Along with her father’s belief, her coach, Kamaldeesh Pal Singh Sodhi, took her under his wing when he noticed her bowling with a fierce pace at the age of 16. Sodhi mentions how he knew she was a special kid, observing Harmanpreet performing with that pace and guile.

Kamaldesh granted her free coaching and nurtured her rise. Now she is known for being the most powerful hitter and the leader of the Indian women’s cricket team that has triumphed through adversity. 

Where the family turned their living room into a cricket academy

Jemimah Rodrigues exploded onto the world stage with her remarkable score of 127 in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final, helping India chase down a record total and reach the final.

Born in Bhandup, Mumbai, Jemimah Rodrigues grew up in a close-knit family where cricket was more than just a sport — it was a shared passion. 

Years of dedication, both from her and her family, made this dream come true. From the age of four, she was drawn more to a bat than toys, hustling in Mumbai suburb tracks where her father guided her cricket journey. 

Her father, Ivan Rodrigues, is a former club cricketer and coach by profession. When they moved to Bandra for better sports facilities, he began coaching her at her school, St. Joseph’s Convent High School, Bandra, where Jemimah’s cricketing journey formally began. 

His guidance was beyond just the technicalities of the game; it was about instilling discipline, humility, and sportsmanship in his daughter.

Her mother, Lavita Rodrigues, ensured that she supported Jemimah in all aspects so that she could focus on her athletic career. From reassuring to spiritual and emotional well-being, she took care of everything.

Jemimah’s brothers, Enoch and Eli, also played cricket at the local level. This made it a family training session for all the kids practising cricket with their fathers.

The passion and enthusiasm were such that the Rodrigues family turned their living room into a makeshift practice arena, where Jemimah honed her batting skills with her family when going outdoors wasn’t possible. 

The World Cup-winning game is all about the belief these girls carried while growing up — and the unwavering faith of the parents and coaches who stood behind them. 

They believed in the magic these women could create, trained them selflessly as unpaid coaches, walked hundreds of kilometres to buy them a bat, and, most importantly, never left their side. 

Today, we celebrate not just India’s women cricketers, but also the fathers, mothers, and coaches who didn’t just support players — but built them.

Sources

‘Harmanpreet Kaur: The girl who bowled medium pace with a dupatta tied around her waist, conquers the world’ by Nitin Sharma, The Indian Express, 3 November 2025

‘When Shafali Verma's Father Enrolled Her As Boy After Academies Refused To Coach Girls, 'Nau Saal..' by Saakshi Gupta, Bollywood Shaadis.com, 3 November 2025

‘India rejoice in first Women’s World Cup triumph as South Africa fall short’ by Raf Nicholson, The Guardian, 2 November 2025

‘Who Are Jemimah Rodrigues' Parents? Dad, Ivan Coached Her In Childhood, Mom, Lavita A Homemaker,’ by Siddhi Chaterjee, for Bollywood Shaadis.com, 31 October 2025

‘Who are Jemimah Rodrigues' Parents, Ivan and Lavita? All About Her Religion and Family Background!’, by Sakhshi Post, 31 October 2025