Saiyami Kher's Tears of Joy: How Women's Cricket Victory Fulfilled Childhood Dream

The actress shared a series of photos and videos on her social media, straight from the stadium where the match was held. Penning a detailed emotional caption, Kher wrote, "My love story with cricket began as an 8-year-old girl. I sat in front of the TV with my dad watching the Master bat. I was obsessed and completely consumed. But in a world of boys with bats, whenever I told them I wanted to play with them, I was laughed at. Their laughter stopped when I'd pick up the ball and bowl them out, one after another.

"Years later, in rooms full of men, when I spoke of cover drives and reverse swing, I saw that same smirk that silently said, "Oh. What do you know about cricket?" From there to last night, in a packed DY Patil stadium where chants echoed for every girl in blue, I saw tears in the eyes of those same grown-up men who'd smirk. Our girls wrote the history of a battle that started in 1978 when we hosted the first WC.

"From pooling money to sharing kit bags to this! It's historic not just for women's cricket but for every woman who dared to dream, for every girl who picked up a bat when the world said she couldn't."

She added, "Standing there, exactly where we shot Ghoomer, watching our girls lift that trophy, it felt like life had come full circle. Proud of our girls. Proud of the families who stood by them. Proud of the BCCI for believing. And grateful to Vijay Patil for an incredible experience at DY Patil." Kher further wrote, "Our girls have shown us that the game belongs to everyone who loves it. Last night, Chak De and Maa Tujhe Salaam hit harder than any other time because these songs, these chants, weren't just for the team. They were for every little girl who has said to herself, "Someday, I'll play too."

For the uninitiated, the Indian women's cricket team created history by securing their maiden World Cup title after a nail-biting win against South Africa in the final match held at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai."

Celebrities from the film fraternity, including Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Anushka Sharma, among others, took to their respective social media accounts to praise the team's incredible feat, describing it as a moment of immense pride for the country.

Talking about Ghoomer, the 2023 sports drama starred Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan and told the story of Anina Dixit, essayed by Kher, a young cricketer whose dreams are shattered after she loses her arm in an accident. Further, refusing to give in and braving all odds, Dixit is then mentored by her mentor, who helps her reinvent herself as a bowler, further mastering a unique style of bowling, 'Ghoomer'. The film is important in the context of the recent World Cup win and how in sports, it's a bit more difficult for some players.

- IANS