The India-Pakistan rivalry continues in the Women’s World Cup, with the 2025 edition seeing another Indian victory. This marks the fifth consecutive time India has triumphed over Pakistan in the tournament. This time, the success was spearheaded by 22-year-old Kranti Goud, who was making her World Cup debut.
Kranti Goud’s bowling performance was instrumental in the victory, particularly her spell against Pakistan. Her contribution began with crucial runs during India’s batting innings, including a boundary in the 49th over and another in the 50th. However, her bowling prowess truly shone.
Partnering with Renuka Singh with the new ball, Kranti put pressure on the Pakistani batters. She secured her first wicket in the 8th over, dismissing Sadaf Shams, and followed it up with the wicket of Alia Riaz in the 12th. When the next breakthrough for India took 16 overs, the Madhya Pradesh pacer struck again.
As the Pakistani partnership grew, captain Harmanpreet Kaur brought Kranti back into the attack, and she delivered immediately, removing Natalia Pervaiz with her first delivery. Kranti’s figures for the match were impressive: 3 wickets for just 20 runs in 10 overs, earning her the Player of the Match award.
Kranti’s journey mirrors the struggles many women in India face. She faced criticism for pursuing cricket, echoing the experiences of countless girls who are discouraged from playing sports. From her village in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, Kranti, the youngest of six siblings, is now the village’s most celebrated figure. She and her family had to endure societal disapproval for her choice of cricket, including being questioned for playing as a girl.
However, Kranti’s family stood by her. Inspired by the cricket played by older boys in her village, especially fast bowling, she developed a passion for the sport. Before finding a coach, she demonstrated her talent in a local tournament.
In an interview, Kranti recalled how she was asked to play in a local tournament when one team was short of players. Kranti played, took 3 wickets, and scored 25 runs, earning the Player of the Match award. This performance caught the eye of coach Rajiv Bilthare, who then helped Kranti develop into the player who dominated Pakistan in Colombo.