New Delhi, Nov 9 (NationPress) Almost a week has passed since Harmanpreet Kaur made a remarkable sprint from short cover to clinch the catch of South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, securing India's first Women's ODI World Cup title in 2025, which unleashed a wave of immeasurable joy and celebration.

Unlike the disappointments of 2005 and 2017, India has finally achieved victory, with the memorable night in Navi Mumbai anticipated to motivate a new generation of girls pursuing their ambitions on and off the field, as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team carved their legacy into cricket history.

Sneh Rana, the Indian all-rounder specializing in off-spin bowling, recalled the intense final moments while seated with her non-playing teammates near the dugout, remembering the exhilaration as they secured the World Cup.

"I was fervently praying while we were outside. At that point, I felt it was the last wicket, and I just wanted to finish the match quickly to experience the feeling of being a world champion. Those thoughts were racing through my mind," she expressed in an exclusive interview with IANS on Sunday.

The immediate aftermath of this historic victory felt surreal, with jubilations on the field followed by more celebrations awaiting them back at the hotel. "We left the field quite late, and there were arrangements for our party in the hotel,” Sneh shared.

“Even then, we were so overwhelmed that we didn't fully grasp what was happening. We were numb and just went on to celebrate at the hotel afterward," she disclosed.

India’s road to the World Cup title was challenging, characterized by three consecutive defeats during the league stage that threatened to derail their journey. Sneh highlighted how steadfast self-belief and a positive atmosphere in the dressing room turned the tide for them.

"During our practice sessions, we would focus on one positive notion - we just needed one breakthrough, and we could achieve it. Everyone had immense faith in themselves, and this belief propelled us to success,” Sneh explained.

“We were solely focused on winning the trophy. There were no second thoughts, and our dressing room’s positive energy fueled our resolve that we would make it happen. We consistently told each other that we would win the trophy, which probably contributed to our success in the end."

In today's world, manifestation has become a popular concept for realizing dreams, something Sneh and the Indian team embraced, aided by visualization sessions led by strength and conditioning coach AI Harrsha.

"Absolutely, manifestation plays a crucial role. Many individuals likely practice it, and I personally engaged in a lot of manifestation. Furthermore, our trainer AI Harrsha conducted visualization sessions before our practices,” she noted.

“He would guide us through visualizing winning the trophy and feeling that moment. This way, each individual maintained a positive mindset. The universe aligns with your thoughts, and I believe it worked for us," Sneh added.

For a team that had come agonizingly close to clinching the title in prior tournaments, finally crossing the finish line on the night of November 2 in Navi Mumbai held profound significance for the Indian squad.

"I feel fantastic. We’ve reached finals before. In 2017, our girls narrowly lost in the final. In the last World Cup, we were defeated in the semi-final (during the 2023 T20 World Cup) against Australia, which was also a very close match,” she recounted.

“We have faced many instances of coming up short in the semi-finals, leaving us disheartened because we worked so hard to reach the semi-final and final. But this time, our mindset was that if we made it to the final, we would cross that line. That feeling is surreal, almost dreamlike," Sneh explained.

The semi-final triumph against the seven-time champions Australia, which involved chasing a record 339 runs, was arguably the pivotal moment of India's campaign. Sneh elaborated on the immense self-belief within the Indian team that empowered them to conquer their formidable rivals.

"Everyone had unwavering self-belief. The discussion within the team centered on the tough competition ahead, given Australia’s seven-time champion status, which instilled their confidence. However, we believed that if any team could defeat Australia, it was us. We knew India could prevail over Australia, and we maintained that belief throughout our practice sessions,” Sneh asserted.

“When we arrived at the ground and gathered in our circle, we emphasized believing in ourselves, trusting the process, and leaving everything to fate. We just played our best cricket, and it all fell into place, finally leading to our victory."

The DY Patil Stadium, where India claimed the title, has now assumed a cherished significance for the champions. "Indeed, it’s an incredibly special ground, and it has become even more significant now that we lifted the trophy there. We feel a tremendous positive energy at that venue. It was an incredible experience to be at the DY Patil Stadium," Sneh concluded.