New Delhi, Nov 20 It's been nearly three weeks since India lifted the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title, and the euphoria around the epochal victory hasn’t died down. Off-spin bowling all-rounder Sneh Rana candidly said that winning the trophy was in their luck and that years of persistent efforts culminating in a title win left her with a great feeling.
“It feels good to lift the World Cup trophy after years of hard work. Our former cricketers worked very hard for this. Unfortunately, they could not lift the trophy. It was our luck that we were able to lift the trophy, and being able to do that feels very good,” said Sneh on the sidelines of an event organised by OneDice on Thursday.
Visuals of Sneh’s homecoming in Dehradun have gone viral on social media, and Sneh said seeing pride in her mother’s eyes made for an unforgettable visual. “It was very unexpected for me. All my relatives came to pick me up, and it felt thrillingly good. I will never forget the pride and tears of happiness in my mother's eyes. It’s a scene that I won’t ever forget.”
Sneh also revealed the team song sung after the win at DY Patil Stadium was made during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the side was waiting since then for the perfect moment to unveil it.
“We made it in the Commonwealth Games four (three) years ago. We were going to release it. But we promised each other that we would release it when we get a good opportunity. Finally, after four (three) years, we were able to release it after winning the World Cup.”
After the World Cup, the side also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu in the national capital. “We talked a lot with the Prime Minister about our struggles and the World Cup. He said a lot about mental health. It felt good to hear. He said that mental health needs awareness, and we talked about it, so it was good,” said Sneh.
Perhaps most significantly, the World Cup win has begun a shift in societal perceptions in communities across India, especially in villages – as seen from the grand welcome Kranti Gaud and N Shree Charani got in Ghuwara and Kadapa respectively.
“Many people said that they won't be able to do it, or why are they playing? But we proved them wrong. After seeing them, I saw their celebrations when they got back to their villages, and their whole villages came to celebrate. I am very hopeful that some of them will come forward from these areas.”
“People's thinking about not sending girls forward (in their lives and careers) will change, and that will finally be a win. This is their decision -whether they are playing for enjoyment or choosing it as a profession. Whatever you are doing, do it with love. If you want to choose a career, just work very hard and never give up,” she added.
Sneh, who made her India debut in 2014, highlighted the dramatic shift in public interest and support for women’s cricket from then to now. “I have seen it evolve a lot, because when I started, I saw empty stadiums. When there were free tickets, we saw that the stadiums would still be empty. But today in the same stadiums, there is a maara-maari (intense demand) to get tickets for watching women’s cricket games. The journey from there to now has changed a lot for women’s cricket.”
Next up is the WPL mega auction on November 27 in New Delhi, and Sneh, who was released by Royal Challengers Bengaluru after coming in as a replacement for the retained Shreyanka Patil, isn’t thinking much about which side will pick her.
“I do not have any expectations. I feel bad when that gets hurt. I just do my job and will do whatever comes next. I do not think about the future or things not in my control.”
At the same time, Sneh talked about the critical role WPL is playing in nurturing talent for the Indian team. “WPL has a big role. It is a world stage platform. Many of our youngsters have come from WPL, like Kranti Gaud and N Shree Charani.”
“They are the talented players coming out of the tournament. They got a platform to put on a show, and they did just. After that, they represented India and won the World Cup. So, it plays an important role.”
Sneh will now head to Sangli, Maharashtra, to attend vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s wedding with her long-term boyfriend Palaash Muchhal, set to happen on November 23. “We will celebrate (the news of her wedding) there. We are happy now. She is the first girl from our team to get married. We are very excited to attend her wedding.”
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