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How Many Times Has Australia Won the Cricket World Cup? Complete List of Australia’s ICC Trophies—Under-19, World Cups, Gold Medals, Men, Women, T20I, ODI, WTC!

Are you curious to learn how many World Cups has Australia won? Here’s a quick answer—Australia has won a mammoth 26 World Cups & ICC tournaments across formats!

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Australia’s exceptional cricketing achievements.

Last week, Australia defeated India to complete the only remaining trophy on their cabinet—The 2023 World Test Championship.

In this article, we’ll dive into the complete list of ICC trophies won by the mighty Aussies, including their World Cup triumphs in both Men’s and Women’s cricket, T20I victories, ODI successes, and U-19 accomplishments.

So, whether you’re an avid cricket fan or simply curious about Australia’s prowess on the pitch, we’ve got you covered with all the fascinating details. Let’s dive in and explore the rich legacy of Australian cricket!

Key Takeaways

  • Australia has won a total of 26 world tournaments in cricket out of 65 tournaments, a whopping 40%! (14 Under-19 World Cups, 12 Men’s ODI World Cups, 12 Women’s ODI World Cups, 8 Men’s T20 World Cups, 8 Women’s T20 World Cups, 8 Champions Trophies, 2 World Test Championships, and 1 Commonwealth Games). They have been in the finals on 34 occasions (52.3 %).
  • Australian women have lifted the trophy 14 times, the senior men’s side has won on 9 occasions, and the Under-19 men’s side has won a total of 3 times. This includes 7 Women’s ODI World Cup (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 Women’s T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), 5 Men’s ODI World Cup (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups (1988, 2002, 2010), 2 Champions Trophies (2005, 2009), 1 Commonwealth Gold (2022), 1 Men’s T20 World Cup (2021), and 1 World Test Championship (2023).
  • Meg Lanning has been Australia’s most successful captain, winning ICC trophies on six occasions (2014, 2018, 2021, 2023 T20 World Cups, 2022 Commonwealth Gold, 2023 ODI World Cup) followed by Ricky Ponting – 4 (2003, 2007 ODI World Cups, 2006 & 2009 Champions Trophy). Sharon Tredrea, Belinda Clark, and Jodie Fields have won two World Cups each as well.
  • The Australian cricket team has been 8 runners-up times. This includes twice each in the Women’s ODI World Cup (1973, 2000), Men’s ODI World Cup (1975, 1996), and Under-19 World Cup (2012, 2018), and once each in Men’s T20 World Cup (2010) and Women’s T20 World Cup (2016).

Also Read: Top 5 Greatest Cricket Teams to Ever Be Assembled

List of 26 Australian Cricket World Championship

Fun Fact: In finals they have won, Australia’s favorite opposition has been England (8 times) followed by New Zealand (5), India (4), Pakistan (3), West Indies, and South Africa (2). They have won World Cups in almost every cricketing country – India, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the UAE.

1. 1978 ODI Cricket World Cup

2. 1982 ODI Cricket World Cup

3. 1987 ODI Cricket World Cup

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4. 1988 ODI Cricket World Cup

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5. 1988 Under-19 Cricket World Cup

6. 1997 ODI Cricket World Cup

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7. 1999 ODI Cricket World Cup

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8. 2002 U-19 Cricket World Cup

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9. 2003 ODI Cricket World Cup

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10. 2005 ODI Cricket World Cup

Also Read: History of Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup

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11. 2006 Champions Trophy

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12. 2007 ODI Cricket World Cup

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13. 2009 Champions Trophy

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14. 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup

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15. 2010 T20 Cricket World Cup

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16. 2012 T20 Cricket World Cup

17. 2013 ODI Cricket World Cup

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18. 2014 T20 Cricket World Cup

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19. 2015 ODI Cricket World Cup

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20. 2018 T20 Cricket World Cup

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21. 2020 T20 Cricket World Cup

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22. 2021 T20 Cricket World Cup

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23. 2022 ODI Cricket World Cup

24. 2022 T20 Commonwealth Games (Gold)

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25. 2023 T20 Cricket World Cup

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26. 2023 World Test Championship

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Final Thoughts

Australia’s cricketing prowess is nothing short of extraordinary, with a total of 26 world tournament victories and 8 runner-up finishes. Their impressive trophy cabinet boasts 7 Women’s ODI World Cups, 6 Women’s T20 World Cups, 5 Men’s ODI World Cups, 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups, 2 Champions Trophies, 1 Commonwealth Gold, 1 Men’s T20 World Cup, and 1 World Test Championship.

These remarkable achievements showcase the Australian cricket team’s consistent dominance on the international stage, making them a force to be reckoned with.

As we celebrate their cricketing legacy, we eagerly anticipate what the future holds for this exceptional team and the exciting milestones they are yet to conquer!

Australia’s World Cup Wins – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How Many times has Australia won the Cricket World Cup and other ICC trophies?

Australia have won 26 world tournaments in cricket. This includes 7 Women’s ODI World Cup (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 Women’s T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), 5 Men’s ODI World Cup (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), 3 Under-19 Men’s ODI World Cups (1988, 2002, 2010), 2 Champions Trophies (2005, 2009), 1 Commonwealth Gold (2022), 1 Men’s T20 World Cup (2021), and 1 World Test Championship (2023).

2. How many times has Australia’s men team won the Cricket World Cup across formats?

Australia men’s cricket team has won five ODI cricket World Cups (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015). They have also won one T20 cricket World Cup (2021) and one World Test Championship (2023). In addition, they have also won 2 ICC Champions Trophy and 3 Under-19 World Cups.

3. How many cricket World Cups has Australia women’s team won across formats?

Australia women’s cricket team has won 7 ODI cricket World Cups (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022), 6 T20 World Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023), and one Commonwealth Gold (2022).

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 06/13/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

#Controversy Alert: Who Cares About Women’s Cricket Anyway?

Controversy of the Day: Nobody cares about women’s cricket.

Women’s CricketCan’t Live With It, Can Definitely Live Without It.
At least that is the attitude of cricket administration and media around the world.

Today news came in that the BCCI finally decided to organize women’s matches, simultaneously with the men’s Vijay Hazare Trophy & the Vinoo Mankad U-19 Trophy. After the 4 match Women’s T20 Challenge, there is something to look forward to for the Indian Women team.

Is it enough, though? How are all the other women international teams faring during this time? Why did we get here? Could more have been done over the last year?

So many questions…Don’t worry, I got you.

Post-COVID statistics between Women’s Vs Men’s cricket, looking ahead to 2021, facts about the women’s game we should all know as cricket fans, and the way forward for women’s cricket. 

*Note: Underlined & Bolded links are videos. Underlined without bold are links to other articles.

Also Read: What Can Ellyse Perry Not Do?, What If Indian Women Won the 2017 ICC Cricket World Cup?

Rise of Women’s Cricket

March 8th, 2020—the peak for Women’s Cricket at the World T20 World Cup Final between Australia & India.

86, 174 spectators.

Following the monumental 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup, women’s cricket began moving in a positive direction. Casual cricket fans began to take notice, fan following increased for the likes of Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, & Smriti Mandhana, and representation in broadcasting expanded with Lisa Sthalekar, Isa Guha, & Ebony Rainford-Brent among others. Investment rose with the Women Big Bash League (WBBL), Kia Super League, & even the Women’s T20 Challenge. The highly anticipated experiment, The Hundred, was scheduled simultaneously with the men’s version for last summer.

The rise continued & on the auspicious International Women’s Day, the record number of spectators at the Women’s 2020 T20 World Cup confirmed Mithali Raj’s statement, “Truly I believe women’s cricket has come in the mainstream now.”

Momentum Halts For Women’s Cricket

March 8th, 2020—also the last time since India Women took field.

None. Zero. Nada.

It has been almost 11 months without any international cricket, domestic competition, or even a national training camp. Meanwhile, Indian men have played a 60-match IPL, & toured Australia from November-January for a 3-T20I, 3 ODI, and 4 classic Test matches. India women’s 3 match ODI tour of Australia scheduled in January? Cancelled due to coronavirus at the end of December. Explain that…

The momentum has truly been halted. Not only India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh women have not had much cricket either (although training camp has started for Bangladesh). Even the inaugural edition of the Hundred was postponed.

The second edition of men’s Indian Premier League post-COVID is about to begin in a couple of months and a 10-team IPL is rumored in 2022. On the other hand, after the gigantic leap from 1 match in 2018 to 4 matches in 2019, the Women T20 Challenge did not expand in 2020. And guess what? Those who participated in the Challenge were robbed of the opportunity to play WBBL due to bio-bubble regulations.

The biggest casualty, though was the earlier scheduled 2021 ICC Women’s World Cup.

Starting next week, from February 6th-March 7th, New Zealand was supposed to host World Cup. YES, New Zealand, the country best placed to host an international event in these circumstances. Yet, in August the ICC postponed it due to ‘disparity in level of preparedness’ between the different countries.

Men’s Vs Women’s Cricket: Post-Covid Statistics

Thanks to the ECB and their bio-secured bubble protocols, cricket started back with the England-West Indies Test Series. Since then, both men’s & women’s cricket restarted, but here is a table that shows the disparity of the amount of games played.

Since July, the men have had a maximum possible 128 days of international cricket scheduled (5 days maximum per test) as opposed to just 16 days for the women (5 of which were Austria Vs Germany T20I). Across formats & countries, men have clocked in 540 matches, while women have played a mere 144 matches.

Men’s CricketWomen’s Cricket
International Matches Played (June 2020-January 2021)56 matches
(18 Tests, 17 ODIs, 21 T20Is)
*excludes 16 matches
16 matches
(0 Tests, 3 ODIs, 13 T20Is)
*including Austria-Germany 5 T20Is
T10 & T20 Leagues Played Around the World 206 matches
(CPL, IPL, SLPL, BBL, T10 League)
63 matches
(Women’s T20 Challenge, BBL)
Domestic Cricket 278 matches
(Syed Mustaq Ali, Vitality Blast, Super Smash NZ, Bob Willis Trophy)
65 matches
(Ireland Super50, Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy, Super Smash NZ)
International Scheduled Matches For 2021 (So Far)96 matches
(24 T20Is, 12 ODIs, 15 Tests including WTC Final + 45 match 2021 T20 World Cup)
18 matches
(9 ODIs, 9 T20Is)
Total Matches (Mar 2020-2021)
*excluding T20/Domestic Leagues for 2021
636 matches162 matches
Post-Covid Men’s & Women’s Cricket Summary

*Table does not include the 3 Eng-SA & the 2 Ire-UAE ODIs that were cancelled due to COVID.

Series Summary

Here are the details of the various series, leagues, & domestic tournaments played over the last year.

*Australia (Aus), New Zealand (NZ), India (Ind), England (Eng), Sri Lanka (SL), South Africa (SA), Pakistan (Pak), West Indies (WI), Bangladesh (Ban), Zimbabwe (Zim), Ireland (Ire), & Afghanistan (Afg).

International Matches Played (June 2020-January 2021)

Men’s
  • WI tour Eng (3 Tests), Pak tour Eng (3 Tests, 3 T20I), Ire tour Eng (3 ODIs), Aus tour Eng (3 T20Is, 3 ODIs)
  • Zim tour Pak (3 ODI, 3 T20I), Ire tour UAE (4 ODIs – 2 cancelled), Ire Vs Afg (3 ODI)
  • Eng tour SA (3 T20I, ODIs abandoned), SL tour SA (2 Tests), Eng tour SL (2 Tests)
  • WI tour NZ (3 T20I, 2 Tests), Pak tour NZ (3 T20I, 2 Tests)
  • Ind tour Aus (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is, 4 Tests)

*Excludes 16 games played by Guersney, Isle of Man, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Belgium, Bulgaria, Malta, Romania

Women’s
  • Austria tour Germany (5 T20I)
  • WI tour England (5 T20I)
  • NZ tour Aus (3 ODI, 3 T20I)

T10 & T20 Leagues Played Around the World

  • Men: Caribbean Premier League (33 matches), Indian Premier League (60), Sri Lanka Premier League (23), Big Bash League (61), T10 League (29)
  • Women: WBBL (59 matches), IPL Exhibition games (4)

Domestic Cricket

  • Men: Bob Willis Trophy (Eng – 46 matches), 2020 T20 Vitality Blast (Eng – 97), 32 Super Smash (NZ – 32), Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy (India – 103)
  • Women: Super50 Cricket Series (Ire – 8 matches), Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy (Eng – 25)

Schedule Lookout for 2021

Well if you thought 2020 was bad, 2021’s schedule does not seem like a drastic improvement either. Sure, just like the Vijay Hazare & Vinoo Mankad, more matches may be scheduled later, but the number of planned games in 2021 tells you the story.

Women’s Cricket 2021 Schedule

According to the ICC Fixtures for the next year, Women’s cricket looks as follows:

  1. Pak tour SA (3 ODI, 3 T20I): Jan 20-Feb 3 (Ongoing)
  2. Eng tour NZ (3 ODI, 3 T20I): Feb 23-Mar 5
  3. Aus tour NZ (3 ODI, 3 T20I): Mar 27-Apr 10

After this, the next scheduled international fixture is the postponed 2022 Women’s World Cup that begins on March 4th, 2022. Domestically, apart from women’s edition of Vijay Hazare & Vinoo Mankad U-19, Australia National Cricket League (28 matches) has been announced, with The Hundred, Women Big Bash League, & Women’s T20 Challenge possibly returning for 2021.

Men’s Cricket Schedule 2021

While international women’s cricket as a whole has only been scheduled 18 limited overs matches in 2021, the Men’s England Test team alone are slotted 17 Test Matches (18 if they reach the WTC final), apart from the T20 World Cup & other bilateral series.

Currently, WI tour of Ban (3 ODI, 2 Tests) & SA tour of Pak (2 Tests, 3 T20Is) are ongoing, with the England tour of India (4 Tests, 5 T20I, 3 ODI), IPL 2021 (60 matches), & The Hundred on the horizon.

  • 51 matches planned in 2021 (24 T20Is, 12 ODIs, 15 Tests including WTC Final)
  • 45 match ICC Men’s T20I World Cup October-November (in India)

Did You Know?

Who was the first cricketer to score a double century in ODI? Umm..Sachin Tendulkar 200* Vs South Africa in 2010, right? Wrong. It was actually Belinda Clark’s 229* in the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup.

The real question is, do we ourselves pay enough attention to Women’s Cricket or just hypocritically vouch for the women’s game?

We all know about Tendulkar’s 100 100s, Bradman’s 99.94, Muralitharan’s 800, Sharma’s 264. For our collective cultural enhancement, here is a short list of statistics and facts we should all know about Women’s Cricket.

Numbers & Facts in Women’s Cricket We Should All Know

*Note, this stats are divided by format: Test | ODI | T20I .

Batting

  • Most Runs: 1935 – Jan Brittin (Eng) | 6,888 – Mithali Raj (Ind) | 3301 – Suzie Bates (NZ)
  • Highest Score: 242 – Kiran Baluch (Pak) | 232* – Amelia Kerr (NZ) | 148* – Alyssa Healy (Aus)
  • Most 100s/50+: 5 (100s)/16 (50+) – Jan Brittin (Eng), 14 (100s) – Meg Lanning (Aus)/ 60 (50+) – Mithali Raj (Ind) | 22 (50+) Suzie Bates (NZ) (several players with 2 T20I centuries)
  • Highest Partnership: 309 – Lindsay Reeler & Denise Annets (Aus) | 320 – Deepti Sharma & Poonam Raut (Ind) | 257 Yulia Anggraeni & Kadek Winda Prastini (Indonesia)

Bowling

  • Most Wickets: 77 – Mary Duggan (Eng) | 225 – Jhulan Goswami (Ind) | 120 – Anisa Mohammed (WI)
  • Best Figures Innings: 8/53 – Neetu David (Ind) | 7/4 – Sajjida Shah (Pak) | 6/0 – Anjali Chand (Nepal)
  • Most 5-fers: 5 – Shubhangi Kulkarni (Ind) | 6 -Anisa Mohammed (WI) | 7 (4-fers+) – Anisa Mohammed (WI)
  • Best Figures Match/ Most 10-fers (Tests): 13/226 – Shaiza Khan (Pak) / 2 10-fers – Betty Wilson (Aus)

Wicket-Keeping/Fielding

  • Most Catches (Fielding): 25 – Carole Hodges (Eng) | 67 – Suzie Bates (NZ) | 64 – Suzie Bates (NZ)
  • Most Dismissals (Keeper): 58 – Christina Matthews (Aus) | 160 – Trisha Chetty (SA) | 93 – Alyssa Healy (Aus)

Teams

  • Highest Team Total: 569/6 declared Aus (vs Eng) | 491/5 NZ (Vs Ire) | 314/2 Uganda (Vs Mali)
  • World Cups: ODIs – Aus (6 times), Eng (4), NZ (1) | T20Is – Aus (5 times), Eng (1), WI (1)

A Way Forward

Australia, England, & New Zealand are historically the most successful women cricket teams and rightly so. They have invested in women’s cricket for decades & are broadening the recruitment of young girls in cricket. Other countries lag behind in the recruitment, infrastructure, & investment.

In the COVID era, the template provided by NZ’s Super Smash, India’s Vijay Hazare, & England’s Hundred should become common. The corresponding matches for the same teams should be played on the same day for both the men & women respectively. This may help out with spectators & TV revenues as well.

This is definitely possible for domestic competitions & T20 leagues, but should even be considered for international tours as well, at least for the limited overs leg.

These are just some limited thoughts, but there are limitless ideas to promote women’s cricket if enough focus is given to this part of the sport.

Supply & Demand

More needs to be done for Women’s Cricket in current times. If this break continues longer, experienced players will start to retire, budding youngsters might not receive opportunity (and hence, may leave the sport altogether), and the compounding loss of revenue will hurt women’s cricket for generations to come.

If the ICC and national boards do not ramp up support in 2021, as Anjum Chopra called it, Women’s Cricket will remain just as an ‘add on’ feature, and nothing more. Who knows, instead of waiting for their next opportunity, the likes of Mithali Raj & Jhulan Goswami should just retire now, join administration, take matters in their own hands, fix women’s cricket administration, un-retire and play.

Women Cricket’s current status can be summarized with the saying, “If you are not at table, you are on the menu.”

Hope Remains

Although the coronavirus break as halted the momentum, hope remains. With the T20 international status open to several countries now, smaller nations like Thailand & Nepal have taken large strides. With role models like Ellyse Perry & Sophie Devine (see below), more girls have taken up the sport seriously.

Finally, us fans can themselves can help in the resurgence of momentum. The entire game is about supply & demand. Men’s cricket & the IPL generates a lot of revenue. Hence, T20 cricket remains essential at possibly the expense of Test cricket. Similarly, women’s cricket is less profitable and hence, gets less support. So, we should demand more women’s cricket and encourage girls to take the sport up.

Fans need to get involved. Bloggers (including me) should write more on women’s cricket. You should tweet more on women’s cricket. Watch lots of videos, look up more stats, & make women’s cricket viral. Get the media involved. Slowly & steadily, women’s cricket administration will take notice & invest more.

Anyway, I will leave you all with a classy Sophie Devine, who recently scored the fastest T20 century in women’s cricket (36 balls), but her sportsmanship & humanity was the highlight.

So there you go. Lots of controversy, with a tinge of hope.

Copyright (2021: 1/30/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

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Image Courtesy: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, Getty Images

Sources: ICC Results (Women) ICC Results (Men), ICC Fixtures 2021 (Women), ICC Fixtures 2021 (Men)

What If India Won 2017 ICC Cricket World Cup?

Today’s Scenario: Mithali Raj Lifts the 2017 Cricket World Cup

In our segment Just Imagine, we explore how a specific moment in cricket could have lasting ripple effects. Going back in time, we ask a simple question: What Would Happened if…? and reflect on its consequences.

What if Brathwaite’s Dream Was Not Diminished in Manchester in the 2019 Cricket World Cup? What if Freddie Flintoff Kept his Cool to Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup?

Since the Women T20 Challenge is in full flow among the teams—Trailblazers, Velocity, and the Supernovas, we imagine what would have happened if India had not collapsed against England in the 2017 Cricket World Cup Final?

Match:

England vs India, July 23rd 2017, Final, Lord’s, London, ICC Women’s World Cup

Background:

The 2017 Cricket World Cup was a watershed moment in several ways for women’s cricket. It was widely broadcasted and viewed, the matches were highly competitive, several remarkable individual performances were on show, and to cap it off—an intense final.

The hosts were favorite to win the trophy, while India captured the imagination of the world during the tournament.

In the group stages, India had won 5/7 games while brushing Australia aside in the semi-finals thanks to Harmanpreet Kaur’s magnificent 171*—maybe the best world cup innings by an Indian in a semi-final, certainly in the last decade. On the other hand, England squeaked past the Proteas with 2 balls to spare. Their only defeat in the tournament coming at the hand of India via Smriti Mandana’s elegant 90.

The final was a classic low-scoring thriller. Ebbs and flows throughout.

England scored 228/7. In response, Mandana and Raj fell cheaply before Punam Raut and Kaur stabilized and registered 50s.

India now in control….Or at least, we thought.

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The Moment:

Chasing 229, India are sitting comfortably at 191-3.

38 needed off 44 balls. Punam Raut 86* (114), Veda Krishnamurthy 28* (28). Then, next ball, there is an appeal for LBW…

What Actually Happened:

42. 5 Shrubsole to Raut OUT:

Punam has asked for a review but the umpire says sorry, you took too long. Do England have wink of an opportunity? This was the wrong shot. Length ball sliding in from wide of the crease, Punam plays all around the delivery. Looked to work it square when he could’ve played in down the ground. Hit on the knee roll. That would’ve gone on to hit the stumps. Has she done enough though?

[Source: Cricinfo commentary]

What followed was an absolute collapse. Anya Shrubsole’s 6 wicket haul grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.

India fell agonizingly 9 runs short with 8 balls still remaining.

Highlights: England trumps India in tense World Cup Final

Just Imagine:

If Punam Raut had straight batted the shot, or if the DRS review was called in time, and the decision (magically) overturned, what would have happened?

The Consequence:

Punam Raut hits an unbeaten century in the final. Veda seals the deal with an exquisite six.

Jhulam Goswami, the star with 3 wickets on the final, and captain Mithali Raj retire as World Cup winners. The 2017 squad return as legends. Their stories now etched in stone along with the 1983 and 2011.

The BCCI want to capitalize as usual.

They have a template—2007 T20 World Cup and the 2008 IPL. Upon the Indian men’s victory, the experiment of IPL turned into an unprecedented success, changing the global cricket game forever.

They have an opportunity again.

The Women’s IPL launches in 2018. All the world cup heroes are in their prime. Raj captains the Chennai Super Kings, Harmanpreet the marquee player for Kings XI Punjab, and Mandhana starring for the Mumbai Indians. With foreign players such as Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, and the world’s greatest Ellyse Perry, the WIPL is a financial and global success.

This T20 experience gained helps Indian women win the 2020 T20 World Cup defeating Australia in their background in front of a 86,174 crowd at the MCG.

Reflection – Inaction Trumps Imagination

Well, things did not turn out that way, did it?

Winning and losing is part and parcel of the game. Yes, one moment can change histories, but sometimes if action is taken in the right time, it could pay dividends as well.

India’s performance had already delighted audiences around the world and Goswami-Mithali-Harmanpreet-Mandana were household names.

Why then, has the WIPL not been put into action?

It did not need to be an 8 team tournament. A 5-6 team tournament would be wonderful as well. In 3 years, teams would have stabilized, rivalries and fanbase would have fostered, and ultimately, women’s cricket would have benefitted.

Instead, we are watching the 3rd T20 Women’s challenge as an afterthought of a 56 match exhausting Men’s IPL, just taking a break before the Playoffs. Meanwhile, most of the foreign players like Heather Knight, Alyssa Healy, and Ellyse Perry are employing their trade at the WBBL, and we are just waiting for the Hundred for a competitive world T20 women’s league.

With the likes of Shefali Verma, Deepti Sharma, and Jemimah Rodrigues, India’s future is still bright, but by the time WIPL commences, India women’s stars would have already retired.

Photo of Jemimah Rodrigues
Jemimah Rodrigues times a cover drive to perfection

Inspired By Conversations with Vandit and ESPNCricinfo’s Alternative Universe Series.

Sources: ICC, Cricinfo
Image Courtesy: Eng-Ind Final: BMN Network (Flickr) via CC 2.0, Jemimah Rodrigues: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons