The Indian women’s cricket team created history by lifting their maiden World Cup title after defeating South Africa in the final. But behind this moment stood one man, head coach Amol Mazumdar.
A domestic cricket legend, Mazumdar scored over 11,000 First-Class runs with 30 centuries, yet never got a chance to play for India, as the team’s middle order was packed with icons like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly. But on Sunday, 12 years after his retirement, he finally etched his name in Indian cricket’s history and this time, as a coach.
India’s journey to the trophy wasn’t easy. They lost three consecutive matches against South Africa, Australia, and England before making a strong comeback. Their resurgence began with a crucial win over New Zealand and a record-breaking chase against defending champions Australia in the semifinal.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur credited Mazumdar for turning things around. “After our third straight loss, sir was a little aggressive, in a good way,” she said. “We all knew his words came from the heart. That talk changed everything. Everyone started playing with new intent.”
Mazumdar himself noticed the transformation. “After that England game, there was a shift. You could see the energy, the intensity, it was different,” he said.
Appointed in October 2023 after a 10-month coaching gap, Mazumdar brought in stability and belief. With the retirements of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, the team was in transition, struggling for direction. He used his experience from coaching roles with the Mumbai team, Rajasthan Royals, and even the Netherlands to rebuild the side’s confidence.
Under his guidance, India not only won their first ODI series in England but also defeated Australia at home.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
