'I was bullied by boys': Punam Raut says Harmanpreet Kaur’s World Cup win silenced old taunt

India's maiden Women's World Cup triumph, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has silenced doubters and fulfilled a long-held dream. The victory, particularly poignant after the 2017 final loss, signifies a monumental shift for women's cricket in India, proving it's a game for everyone. Shafali Verma's unexpected yet impactful inclusion also played a crucial role.

India’s players celebrate with the trophy after winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 one-day international (ODI) final match between India and South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on November 3, 2025. (AFP)

NEW DELHI: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared a heartwarming photo of herself lying on the bed with the ICC Women’s World Cup trophy, one arm wrapped around it - almost hugging it - as if to say, 'It belongs to us.' But more than the picture, it was the message on the back of her T-shirt that spoke louder. The words read: "Cricket is a gentleman’s EVERYONE’S game" - with the word "gentleman's" struck out. India had just defeated South Africa in the final of the Women’s World Cup to lift their maiden World Cup title at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. The victory wasn’t just emotional for Harmanpreet and her players; it carried special meaning for those who came agonisingly close in 2017, when India lost the final to England at Lord’s by nine runs.

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What followed that heartbreak were taunts - "Tumne kya kar liya? Kabhi kuch jeeta hai? Tum ladkiyan kya kar sakti ho? Ladkiyan cricket khel sakti hain kya? (“What have you ever achieved? Have you ever won anything? What can girls even do? Can girls really play cricket?" - often followed by mocking laughter from boys. One of those who witnessed it all was Punam Raut, a key member of the 2017 team. Punam opened the innings in that final and played a sublime knock of 86 off 115 balls. But India fell just nine runs short of glory - a wound that took nine long years to heal. Only three players from that 2017 defeat - Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Smriti Mandhana - featured in the 2025 final, finally becoming part of history as India lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup.

India's captain Harmanpreet Kaur poses with the winning trophy after their win over South Africa in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup final match in Navi Mumbai, India, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

"I am very happy and emotional. I couldn’t control my tears. Many, many congratulations to this team. We have proved it — the answer has been conveyed. When I started playing cricket, I experienced bullying. I was bullied by boys. I told them I knew how to play cricket, but they mocked me. They said girls can’t play cricket. I didn’t like what they said. I was young, I was angry, but I couldn’t express it at that time. When they said that, it hit me badly," Punam told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview. "How can they say that? That’s what I always asked myself. After that, we decided — one day, the whole world will know that girls can also play cricket. And somewhere, Harmanpreet Kaur must have experienced the same. I remember we both debuted in the same World Cup, in 2009. We had the same journey, the same age. I am sure Harmanpreet must have gone through the same experiences. That’s why she wrote, ‘It’s not only a gentleman’s game. It’s everyone’s game.’" "What Harmanpreet said - she was right. It was the goal of the team. Even in 2017, we played for that - for all those girls whose parents were restricting them. It is very important to change that mindset. And when a World Cup stage comes in front of you, that’s the opportunity to do something. She is right, and she has brought a big change in Indian women’s cricket." "The last time we lost the trophy by 9 runs. That is a wound that hasn’t healed yet. We should have scored those 9 runs. It was going on in my mind for a long time. But Harmanpreet has done it. That bad memory has finally faded away. That defeat haunted me and all of us for nine years," she said.

'GOD SENT SHAFALI'

When the World Cup squad was announced, Shafali Verma’s name wasn’t even in the standbys. She followed all the action from her home in Rohtak, watching her teammates on television. But it seemed written in the stars for Shafali. She received a late call-up after in-form Pratika Rawal was ruled out with an injury during India’s final league match against Bangladesh.

India's Shafali Verma plays a shot during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup final match between India and South Africa in Navi Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Shafali went on to play just two matches in the tournament - the semifinal against Australia and the final against South Africa - but those appearances etched her name forever in women’s cricket history. In the title clash, she produced a stunning all-round performance, scoring 87 runs and taking two wickets, earning the Player of the Match award. "What Shafali said - that God has sent me here - she was absolutely right. Because all these things are written in your destiny. Who knew that Shafali Verma would be part of a World Cup-winning team? No one knew. But it all happened. God is great. That girl showed so much maturity at such a young age - to walk into such big games, to play directly in a World Cup semi-final - it’s incredible. It’s not easy at all," Punam said.

Navi Mumbai: India's Smriti Mandhana brings teammate Pratika Rawal on a wheelchair as the team arrive to receive winning medals during the presentation ceremony after winning the ICC Women's World Cup 2025, at the DY Patil Stadium, in Navi Mumbai, early Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) (PTI11_03_2025_000077B)

"Pratika was in superb form but got injured. Of course, it was a shock for the team. The way Shafali Verma came back and played - that was special. She couldn’t score many runs in the semi-final, couldn’t get off to a good start. But to come back strong in the final - that’s a really big thing. She handled the pressure very well," she said. "In this team, you can see something different - from youngsters to experienced players, everyone’s confidence level was sky high. It was God’s plan. Pratika believed she would bowl and take wickets - and Harmanpreet made her bowl. That was incredible," Punam said.

UNITY IN THE CLASS OF '25

More than a leader, Harmanpreet played the role of an elder sister throughout the tournament. She was often seen wrapping an arm around youngsters like Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, and Shree Charani - guiding and encouraging them at every step. Punam believes it was this 'unity' that carried the Indian team all the way to glory in the tournament. "I can see the confidence level in this team. It’s the unity — they back each other. There’s maturity in the players. Everyone is young, but they show so much maturity. They know how to support one another. The confidence level in this team was different - the eagerness was visible," Punam said.

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"But some things didn’t click that time (in 2017). This time, the team has learned from that experience. Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, even Deepti Sharma - they were all part of that World Cup in 2017. So of course, they must have shared those experiences, and that must have helped the entire team." "When we played the final in 2017, almost nine players were playing a World Cup final for the first time. But here, the experience was far greater because of the WPL. There were so many matches, and when you get to perform on such a big stage - especially alongside Australians and other international legends — that exposure builds belief. Because of the WPL, the confidence level of the players has increased. That’s what made the difference in this World Cup," Punam said.

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