The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a cash prize of Rs 51 crore for the ICC Women’s World Cup-winning Indian team and everyone from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli raised a toast to the women on Monday, the day after a victory that is being hailed as a defining moment that could inspire generations.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the entire team, including players, coaches, selectors and support staff, would share the reward.
The long-awaited moment of glory arrived at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai as captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s team defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final, ending decades of heartbreak that included the 2005 and 2017 losses in the finals.
This victory marked India’s first-ever Women’s World Cup title.
“In 1983, Kapil Dev inspired a new era in Indian cricket with the men’s World Cup win. Today, our women have reignited that same spirit and pride for the nation,” Saikia told ANI, announcing the reward.
India opener Smriti Mandhana said she was still struggling to process the magnitude of her team's achievement, calling it "unreal."
"I haven't been emotional on the cricket field. But yeah, just a very unreal moment, home World Cup and just to read that we are Champions, I just can't, I'm still not able to process it," she said.
India women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar described his team’s historic World Cup triumph as a “watershed moment” for Indian cricket, lauding his players for their relentless work ethic and composure under pressure.
"We didn't look at those losses as losses. We just thought that we just couldn't get over the line. That's about it. We dominated a lot majority of those matches so we didn't look at this as losses," he said.
"We just thought that there are some hiccups in the campaign. We were still alive in the tournament and here we are on 2nd November 2025 World Champions."
Shafali Verma was named Player of the Match for her blistering knock and crucial spell of bowling, while Deepti Sharma was crowned Player of the Tournament for her stellar all-round performance, scoring 215 runs and claiming 22 wickets in the tournament.
Encomiums for the team have been pouring in since the victory.
At an event where he inaugurated the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi said: “Today's event is related to science. But before that, I would like to talk about India’s magnificent victory in cricket. The entire nation is delighted by the success of our cricket team. This is India’s first Women’s World Cup title. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our Women’s Cricket Team. We are proud of you; your achievement will inspire millions of young Indians.”
"I admire the way the girls have done India proud," President Droupadi Murmu said in a post on X.
Mithali Raj, who led India to the 2017 women's final, said the victory for Harmanpreet's side had made her dreams come true.
"I’ve seen this dream for over two decades, to watch the Indian women lift that World Cup trophy," she wrote on X.
"Tonight, that dream finally came true. From the heartbreak of 2005 to the fight of 2017, every tear, every sacrifice, every young girl who picked up a bat believing we belong here, it all led to this moment."
"1983 inspired an entire generation to dream big and chase those dreams. Today, our Women's Cricket Team has done something truly special," cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar wrote on X.
Star cricketer Virat Kohli lauded the team for playing "fearless" cricket.
"Inspiration for generations to come, you've made every Indian proud with your fearless cricket and belief throughout. You guys deserve all the accolades and enjoy the moment to the fullest. Well done Harman and the team. Jai Hind," wrote Kohli.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag said the win would inspire many to dream and shine in life.
"Champions! Har chauke har wicket, apne Jajbe se poore desh ka dil jeet liya! Proud of our World Champion girls. What a victory. @ImHarmanpreet Kaur aur unki team ne poori generation ko sapna de diya jeetne ka, ladne ka, chamakne ka! #CWC25," he tweeted.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra posted on X: “They didn’t just lift the trophy. They lifted the game of Women’s cricket itself. And while doing so, inspired whole new generations of young Indian champions. Thank you for the enormous pride tonight!!”
India received USD 4.48 million (approximately Rs 40 crore) from the ICC for winning the World Cup, a significant increase from the USD 1.32 million (approximately Rs 12 crore) that Australia received three years ago.
South Africa, the runner-up, were awarded USD 2.24 million (approximately Rs 20 crore), while the losing semifinalists each took home USD 1.12 million (approximately Rs 10 crore) — a substantial rise from the USD 300,000 (approximately Rs 2.7 crore) in 2022.
The tournament’s total prize money stands at USD 13.88 million (Rs 123 crore) — nearly four times the USD 3.5 million (Rs 31 crore) offered in the previous edition in New Zealand in 2022.