From being little girls who were mocked for choosing the bat and ball over dolls, they are now pathbreakers.
READ ALSO: Mithali Raj expecting plenty of runs at Lord'sEach player's career in the Indian women's cricket team is an inspirational story in herself, but it took a mammoth effort from
Harmanpreet Kaur in the semifinals, against defending champions Australia, for the Indian cricket fan to stand up and cheer for the Women in Blue. The last and the only time the Indian women made an appearance in the final was way back in 2005, when Facebook was still an infant and Twitter was still being conceptualized. Hence, there was restricted buildup to the final. This time around, when
Mithali Raj leads her band of feisty girls on to the ground at Lord's, she will be cheered by a nation which is already hailing the team as heroes. The Indian team are on the cusp of a sporting revolution and the only ones who can stop them are the mighty hosts, England.
Anjum Chopra, former India skipper and member of the 2005 team which played the final, will be at Lord's on Sunday but with a mike in hand instead of a bat. Anjum - one of India's finest women cricketers - says the Indian team is on the verge of "changing the face of women's sport in the country".
READ ALSO: India’s road to the finalSpeaking to TOI on the eve of the match, Anjum pointed out that the final is a culmination of a journey started years ago by each player. "It is a momentous Sunday. When you start off you want to make it into your club, state and then the national. But at each level, when you are preparing, subconsciously you prepare to play the World Cup final. All the preparation and hard work the players put in through the years has to come around on that particular day and moment when you are on the field and in action."
READ ALSO: History awaits India in Women's World Cup finalAnjum added that what has worked for the Indian team is individuals stepping up to finish the job at crucial junctures. "The best thing about this Indian team is that each day a different play has put her hand up and seen the team through. Be it
Smriti Mandhana's first couple of knocks, Ekta Bisht's five-wicket haul against Pakistan, Rajeshwari
Gayakwad's fiver, Mithali's timely ton or Harmanpreet's century against Australia, every match at least one player has stood up for the count and I think that has been the Indian team's strength."
READ ALSO: England eves bookies favourites to lift World CupAsked about the opening woes, with
Punam Raut and Smriti Mandhana failing to get the team off to a steady start after the opener, Anjum said, "It is definitely a cause for concern and the management will probably have to address it or think about an option."
Praising the bowling attack, Anjum said, "The bowling attacking has been delivering and well-controlled. The USP of this bowling attack is the variety on offer. We have quicks, left-arm, off-spinner and leg spinners and they are all frontline bowlers and not parttimers."
On the England team that fought back after a loss to India, Anjum said: "Past does not matter. After the loss to India they have come back stronger in each match. They have beaten teams with spirit and conviction. When they beat South Africa, they had more than 300 runs on the board. There is no way one can take any opposition lightly."
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!