Women's World Cup triumph a watershed moment for Indian sports not just cricket: Amol Muzumdar

New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) Harmanpreet Kaur and her team's maiden World Cup title is not just a turning point for cricket in the country but a watershed moment for Indian sports, feels women's head coach Amol Muzumdar.

The Indian women's cricket team clinched its first-ever World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa, scripting a golden chapter in the country's sporting history in Navi Mumbai last week.

The win has widely been described as a watershed moment for women's cricket in India, drawing parallels with the men's team's iconic 1983 World Cup triumph.

"Talking about the 1983 moment, I feel this Women's World Cup must be a watershed moment not just for Indian cricket as a whole both men's and women's but a watershed moment for Indian sports," Muzumdar told PTI Videos.

The victory was even more remarkable considering that at one stage India were staring at an early exit after suffering a hat-trick of losses. But the 'Women in Blue' turned it around in style defeating New Zealand to seal a semifinal berth. They then pulled off the highest successful chase in a World Cup to defeat seven-time champions Australia.

"There is no denying about that now that we have won the World Cup that the real architects are the players and also my support staff.

"Everyone has chipped in and done their job with great professionalism. This victory is not just about players or support staff but for every Indian," the coach said.

Despite his prolific domestic career in which he scored over 11,000 runs in 171 first-class matches, including 30 centuries and 60 half-centuries, Muzumdar never earned an India cap.

"The thing about me not playing for India - I parked that thought back in 2014 when I retired. That's history now. It's been almost 11 years, and it remains parked there. This win is not about me, it's about the team and the country," he said.

Reflecting on the road ahead, the former Mumbai stalwart said he was in no hurry to plan the next phase.

"On 24th October 2024, I had planned till 2nd November 2025. Beyond that, I have not planned anything. I would like to stay in this moment," he added. PTI HN APA APA