Indian bowler Kranti Gaud stole the show with a special celebration amid the numerous touching moments that ensued. With their first-ever Women’s World Cup victory, the Indian women’s cricket team has made history, and the festivities are far from over. On November 2, in the midst of celebrations, India raised the prized trophy at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, rewriting the record books.
Inspired by Hardik Pandya, Gaud recently made headlines on the internet for striking a unique stance with the World Cup trophy. She imitated Pandya’s well-known casual shoulder-shrug position while standing on the DY Patil Stadium field. The Indian all-rounder made the gesture popular during India’s Champions Trophy victory in March 2025 and during the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Fans praised Kranti Gaud for her lighthearted homage after the posture, which represents confidence and swag, went viral on social media. “Feeling every bit of this dream come true” is the caption she wrote when she posted the picture to Instagram. Fans nationwide showered her message with love and gratitude in a matter of minutes.
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Kranti Gaud contributed significantly to India’s historic campaign despite having a statistically mediocre tournament.
She claimed nine wickets at a respectable economy rate of 5.73 in eight games, including impressive showings against South Africa (2/59), New Zealand (2/48), and Pakistan (3/20).
With victories over Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, as well as one game finishing in a draw, India finished fourth in the group stage of the tournament overall. Jemimah Rodrigues’ undefeated century helped India upset Australia in the semi-final of the elimination rounds. They then defeated South Africa in the final, when Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma stood out with outstanding all-around performances to win India’s first Women’s World Cup.
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