The story of women’s cricket in India has been a long road of love, struggles, and finally victory. For more than 50 years, the India women’s cricket world cup winners list had a glaring blank word: none.
That blank word was finally removed in 2025, when the current captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, led the team to a victory that marked an unforgettable first world cup victory for India. To understand everything that India did, it would be helpful to look at the real story of the tournament and how India has always remained a part of that history.
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup
Given what I just said, before you delve into the India women’s cricket world cup winners list, let’s have an overview of what this tournament is about. The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is the pinnacle of all the women’s cricket championships. The first tournament was played in England way back in 1973, two years before the first men’s world cup was played.
English legend Rachael Heyhoe Flint was the visionary brainchild behind the first edition which consisted of seven teams and was sponsored solely by businessman Jack Hayward. From just a handful of sponsor led teams, the event has now developed into an fiercely competitive global event watched by a worldwide audience of millions of fans.
The competition is a 50 over one day International and takes place every four years.
Complete ICC Women’s World Cup Winners List (1973–2025)
Below is the list of champions and runners up every year in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup:
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-Up |
| 1973 | England | England | Australia |
| 1978 | India | Australia | England |
| 1982 | New Zealand | Australia | England |
| 1988 | Australia | Australia | England |
| 1993 | England | England | New Zealand |
| 1997 | India | Australia | South Africa |
| 2000 | New Zealand | New Zealand | Australia |
| 2005 | South Africa | Australia | India |
| 2009 | Australia | England | New Zealand |
| 2013 | India | Australia | West Indies |
| 2017 | England | England | India |
| 2022 | New Zealand | Australia | England |
| 2025 | India/Sri Lanka | India | South Africa |
Which Countries Have Won the Women’s Cricket World Cup?
Only four countries ever entered the list of ICC Women’s World Cup winners. A quick look:
Australia 7 championships (1978 1982 1988, 1997 2005 2013, 2022) Australia is the leading women’s cricket team in the world. Their seven championships demonstrate a level of supremacy rarely witnessed in any sport. Right from the first editions to Alyssa Healy’s 170 in the 2022 final at Christchurch, the team has been combining fitness, skill, and tactical brilliance to outperform others.
England 4 championships (1973 1993 2009, 2017) England secured the first edition in 1973, and over the years they have been a strong team. Their triumph in 2017 at Lords remains quite vivid, with Anya Shrubsole’s lethal bowling being the turning point of the final against India that was very close. With four trophies to their name, England is the second team with the most success in the history of the World Cup.
New Zealand 1 championship (2000) New Zealand won their first ever World Cup title in 2000 when they defeated the then dominating team Australia in the final on home ground. Besides several reaching finals, that one victory of 2000 is still regarded as an upset and a landmark in the history of women’s cricket.
India 1 championship (2025) In 2025, India achieved their glorious moment and the celebration reached unprecedented heights in the country for women’s cricket. The home team overpowered South Africa by 52 runs at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai to become the holders of their first ICC Women’s World Cup title.
India’s Complete World Cup Journey
To grasp the significance of the 2025 victory, it is necessary to return to India’s historical and emotional ties with the Women’s World Cup. India as Host (1978 and 1997)
The first time India staged the Women’s World Cup was in 1978, when Australia emerged as champions in their own country. The second time was in 1997, with Australia again claiming the trophy. For India, the story of being the host but not the winning team was intertwined with the 2025 success that made the victory more meaningful. 2005: India’s First World Cup Final
India made history by reaching their first Women’s World Cup final in 2005, which was hosted by South Africa. They came up against a formidable Australian team that had not lost a match and were defeated, but the journey to the final was a key moment that demonstrated Indian women’s cricket could match the best in the world. 2017: The Heartbreaker at Lord’s
The 2017 Women’s World Cup will always be a reminder of how close India came to glory. Setting a seemingly simple target of 229 at the legendary Lord’s Cricket Ground, India were on track for a memorable victory when England’s Anya Shrubsole intervened with a brilliant spell of 6 wickets for 46 runs. India ended up losing by nine runs only, a loss that left a nation devastated. But, the team’s performance won the hearts of many and shocked the public into wider recognition of women’s cricket in India. 2025: Champions at Last
The ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 was jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. This time around India who was playing in their home country for the third time, did not want to miss the chance again. Leading off, Shafali Verma batted superbly, producing an innings worthy of attention, scoring 87 runs off 78 balls, her highest career score, in the final against South Africa held at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali together opening for a hundred gave strength to the team. Deepti Sharma (58) and Richa Ghosh’s explosive 34 helped India finish with a total of 298/7 wickets in 50 overs. South Africa, in contrast, only managed to score 246.
India had reached their third World Cup final, but this time, they didn’t give away the chance.
India Women’s Key Players Who Shaped World Cup History
Any talk about the winners list of the India women’s cricket world cup cannot be considered as complete unless the players who have contributed to the successes of the India women’s cricket team over the years are acknowledged.
Mithali Raj led India in both the 2005 and 2017 World Cup finals. Being the highest run scorer in the history of women’s ODI cricket, Mithali was the main driving force behind every India success on the world stage.
Jhulan Goswami, the famous fast bowler, was a reliable player in several World Cup campaigns and still is considered as one of the best bowlers in the history of the game.
Smriti Mandhana is India’s most thrilling contemporary player who has the ability to build big totals for her team by playing aggressive and technically sound strokes.
Upon reaching Great Britain, it was Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain who finally waltzed with the trophy in 2025, that enkindled aggression, belief, and leadership to a side that had been very close on the two previous occasions.
The 2025 campaign was a big show for Deepti Sharma as in it she was immensely helpful with the bat and bowled as well, So proving herself a match winner at the end of the day.
Why Is India’s 2025 World Cup Win Is Historic?
The fact that India has made it to the winners’ list of the India women’s cricket world cup is a big deal for a lot of reasons apart from just sport. The win set off a huge celebration across the country, with social media being overwhelmed with tributes, congratulations, and stories of young girls getting their first cricket bat. It really is a testament to how a winning team can inspire the next generation.
On one hand, from a structural perspective, this success will likely be a catalyst for more heavy pouring of resources into women’s cricket facilities, the Women’s Premier League (WPL), and the grassroots level programs throughout the country. In fact, the BCCI has already made a vow to increase the scale of the WPL, and there has been a significant rise in sponsorship interest following the victory of 2025.
India has now joined the ranks of the most prestigious cricket nations, with Australia, England, and New Zealand, which have been the holders of the Women’s World Cup trophy. With the abundance of skilled players that are now coming through the WPL and domestic cricket, India’s maiden title may well be the start of a longer success story.
Conclusion
The list of winners of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India has one entry that will be remembered forever: 2025. Since its inception in 1973, the tournament has largely been the stronghold of Australia and England, but India’s victory is not only the defining moment for them but also for the global sport. The Women’s World Cup has been held 13 times now, and with each edition, it is drawing more attention, prestige, and importance worldwide. Whether you have been a cricket lover for years or India’s victory has just sparked your interest, this is the right moment to start appreciating and cheering for the incredible women playing cricket at the top level.
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