After winning the first-ever ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup, there was a really touching and grand show of respect by its captain Harmanpreet Kaur and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.
Once again, the time came for the dignitaries to present the trophy, after the team had won, when Harmanpreet extended a gesture to touch Shah’s feet-a traditional sign of respect in the Indian ethos. But Shah denied it in no time.
Shah’s Bow: Honouring ‘Nari Shakti’
Instead of accepting congratulations, Jay Shah went right ahead and bowed down to Harmanpreet Kaur. Such a gesture strongly reiterated the Board of Control for Cricket in India recording its commitment to honouring the achievement of the team and recognizing its players as the “Nari shakti” (Women Power) of Bharat.
Just see the SANSKAR
Harmanpreet tried to TOUCH feet of Jay Shah but he REFUSED & in fact, BOWED to her as she’s Nari Shakti of Bharat 🇮🇳
Then he gave the trophy & LEFT the stage ASAP after the mandatory photos
Recall a leader who was pushed off the stage by the RUDE Aussies… pic.twitter.com/wjLpT6nS9R
— PallaviCT (@pallavict) November 2, 2025
The act reverberated, at least within the media and public spheres, as a strong statement on respecting women’s accomplishments in sports and disturbing the hierarchy with semi-modern conventions. Shah presented the trophy and attended the obligatory team photos, but the man somehow sprinted out, being careful not to steal any limelight away from the winning team.
Contrast In Conduct: Remembering An Australian Disrespect
The honour went in stark contrast to another incident in women’s cricket history, when an Indian leader was accorded shabby treatment at the hands of the Australian team that had won the match.
Remember the famous post-match presentation of the 1983 Cricket World Cup? While different in context, the memory serves doubly well in reminding the world of proper conduct by leaders on the big stage.
Here the gracious behaviour of the BCCI Secretary provided a contemporary, respectful, original, and indeed splendid template for celebrating sporting success, particularly in the case of women’s cricket, ensuring the champions remained the centre of focus in that celebration.
That whole sequence further cemented the narrative that the new era of Indian cricket places the athletes, and huge power of its women athletes, first.
Also Read: Jemimah Rodrigues Faces Trolling On Social Media Despite ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Victory
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
