There are certain moments in a game that goes on to define it for generations to come. Jesse Owens' win at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 was a defining moment for Black Americans. For men's cricket in India, the 1983 World Cup changed everything. Neeraj Chopra's gold medal in Javelin Throw at the Tokyo Olympics ignited a love for a sport long forgotten.
For the Indian women's cricket team, win or lose, August 7, 2022, will forever be remembered as the day when it all came together. CWG 2022, gold medal match, India vs Australia at Edgbaston - it doesn't really get bigger than this. When Harmanpreet and Co. take the field on Sunday, it won't just be another cricket match, they will shoulder an opportunity to change the face of women's cricket in India.
2017 World Cup final, 2018 T20 World Cup semifinal, 2020 T20 World Cup final, and now the Commonwealth Games final. The team has now made it to three finals of the five global tournaments. They have not won any, but come the CWG final, they may win, and if they do, they will change with it the landscape of Indian women's cricket.
Australia is a tough nut to crack. It won't be easy to go through them. They have a legacy to fall back in big games. India put up a terrific performance in their opening match against them but still fell short. Defending 155, India reduced Australia to 49-5. Australia came back from there to win the game by three wickets. That goes on to show the depth and quality of their side.
Will the Indian side dig deep and churn out a performance of a lifetime? Can they become the first team ever to win the women's cricket tournament at the Commonwealth event? But, win or lose, August 7, 2022, will forever be remembered as the day when it all came together.
