Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson expressed his joy over the Indian Women’s team winning their first ICC Trophy, taking home the 50-over World Cup in 2025.
Harmanpreet Kaur‘s team defended a score of 299, securing a 52-run victory against South Africa, marking a historic achievement for the Indian women’s Cricket team. Samson praised the team for their hard work and dedication leading up to the win.
“We were all watching the final. My family and everyone else were glued to the TV. It was a special moment for all of us in the country. We had been waiting for this for a long time. We believed we could win the World Cup, and when we saw how close we were, it felt amazing. I was thrilled for all the players in the team. Their hard work and the great stories within the squad made it a proud moment for us,” Samson said during an interview with JioStar.
Samson noted that the Women’s team’s World Cup victory set high expectations for the men’s team, which later defended their T20 World Cup title in early 2026. Samson was also recognized as the player of the tournament, scoring 321 runs in five innings.
“The standards have been raised. Their World Cup win inspired us to aim for the same success in India. It was a remarkable occasion that both tournaments took place here, with us winning them. Their victory definitely motivated us,” Samson mentioned.
In the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, India’s final group stage match is against Australia at Lord’s. Despite Australia’s status as six-time champions, Samson believes India is favored due to their recent success.
“We have a lot of respect for the Australian team. They were the top cricketing nation during our early years. Every World Cup seemed to be won by them. However, now we are the champions and approach our matches with the same competitive spirit. There’s respect for them as an opponent,” he added.
On June 21, India Women lost to South Africa Women at Old Trafford, failing to defend a score of 159, losing by six wickets. The upcoming match against Australia on June 28 is crucial for their chances to reach the semifinals.