Pehla Women's ODI World Cup Kab Khela Gaya Tha?

Aaj hum sab ICC events ke fans hain—men's cricket, T20s, WPL—but ek waqt aisa bhi tha jab women’s cricket ka naam bhi rarely suna जाता था.
Par kya aapko pata hai ki महिला क्रिकेट वर्ल्ड कप, पुरुषों के वर्ल्ड कप से भी पहले शुरू हुआ था?

1973, yeh woh year tha jab duniya ne pehli baar women's ODI world cup ka action देखा – aur wahi moment bana महिला अंतरराष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट (women’s international cricket) ke लिए एक नया इतिहास।

Jab Women’s World Cup Ki Shuruaat Hui

• Date: 20 June – 28 July 1973
• Host (Mēzabān): England
• Format: Round-robin (sabhi teams ek dusre se kheli)
• Organizer: Not ICC, but funded and organized by Sir Jack Hayward, a UK businessman
• Number of Teams: 7
• Final Winner: England
• Captain of England: Rachael Heyhoe Flint

Fun Fact: Yeh men’s World Cup (1975) se 2 saal pehle हुआ था – which proves ki women’s cricket ne bold start liya tha.

Detailed Tournament Overview

Dates & Format: The tournament was held from 20 June to 28 July 1973 in England, featuring a 60-over per side format.

Participating Teams: Seven teams competed: England, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, an International XI, and Young England.

Tournament Structure: A round-robin format was employed, where each team played against all others once.

Final Standings:

• Champions: England (20 points)
• Runners-up: Australia (17 points)
• Followed by: New Zealand, International XI, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and Young England.

Women's Cricket World Cup Winners List (ODI Format)

Year	Winner Team	Host Country
1973	England	England
1978	Australia	India
1982	Australia	New Zealand
1988	Australia	Australia
1993	England	England
1997	Australia	India
2000	New Zealand	New Zealand
2005	Australia	South Africa
2009	England	Australia
2013	Australia	India
2017	England	England
2022	Australia	New Zealand

Bharat Ne Kitni Baar Women’s Cricket World Cup Jeeta Hai?

Ab tak India ne ek bhi Women’s ODI World Cup nahi jeeta hai.
Lekin 2005 aur 2017 mein India फाइनल तक पहुंचा tha.

• 2005 Final: Australia ne haraya
• 2017 Final: England se close match mein haari

Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur jaise players ne in dono events mein शानदार प्रदर्शन diya.

Women's Cricket World Cup Ka Impact

1973 ke baad women's cricket ne धीरे-धीरे popularity gain ki.
Pehle matches radio pe bhi sunayi nahi dete the, lekin aaj broadcasting rights, sponsors, aur full stadiums ka zamana hai.

Key changes since 1973:

• आईसीसी ने 2005 के बाद महिला क्रिकेट की ज़िम्मेदारी संभाली।
• हर 4 साल में एक बार महिला वनडे वर्ल्ड कप का आयोजन होता है।
• टी20 फॉर्मेट की शुरुआत 2009 में की गई थी।
• भारत में महिला प्रीमियर लीग (WPL) जैसी लीग्स की शुरुआत हुई।

आज के समय में महिला क्रिकेट वर्ल्ड कप सिर्फ एक टूर्नामेंट नहीं, बल्कि एक वैश्विक खेल आयोजन बन चुका है।

T20 Women’s World Cup Winners List

T20 format ne women’s cricket ko aur mass audience tak पहुंचाया.

Year	Winner	Host
2009	England	England
2010	Australia	West Indies
2012	Australia	Sri Lanka
2014	Australia	Bangladesh
2016	West Indies	India
2018	Australia	West Indies
2020	Australia	Australia
2023	Australia	South Africa

Australia T20 mein भी सबसे dominating रही hai.

Women's International Cricket Mein India Ki Badhte Kadam

Women's cricket ab sirf Olympics inclusion tak की बात कर रहा है. India mein bhi:

• BCCI ne contract system laya
• WPL ne domestic talents ko international platform diya
• Media and brands actively support kar rahe hain

Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma jaise naye stars bharatiya women’s cricket ka future ban chuke hain.

ICC Mahila Cricket World Cup Ka Schedule

ICC har 4 saal mein ODI World Cup organize karta hai.
Agla World Cup expected hai 2026 mein.

Typical ICC Schedule Includes:

• Warm-up matches
• Group stage
• Semi-finals
• Final
• Reserve a day in case of rain

ICC har baar climate, pitch condition aur local fan engagement dekh ke schedule set karta hai.

India Women’s Upcoming ODI Series – 2025 Mein Kya Hai Lineup?

1. India Women's Tour of England (June–July 2025)

• Dates: 28 June – 22 July 2025
• Format: 3 ODIs + 5 T20Is
• Special Update: Madhya Pradesh ki Kranti Goud aur Shuchi Upadhyay ko India squad mein pehli baar jagah mili hai. Ye dono young players ke liye ek badi opportunity hai.
• Next up: Australia ka challenge

2. Australia Women's Tour of India (September 2025)

• Dates: September 2025
• Matches: 3 ODIs
• Significance: ICC Women’s World Cup se pehle ki perfect preparation. Australia jaise strong team ke against khelne se India apne squad combinations ko test kar payegi.
• Agla bada event: World Cup at home

3. ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (Hosted by India)

• Dates: 29 September – 26 October 2025
• Format: 8 teams, round-robin + knockouts
• Stadiums: 5 major cities mein matches honge. Final match hoga New Chandigarh ke Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium mein.
• Post-World Cup: Bangladesh ka tour India mein

4. Bangladesh Women's Tour of India (December 2025)

• Dates: December 2025
• Format: 3 ODIs + 3 T20Is
• Focus: Ye series team ke bench strength ko test karne ke liye ideal hogi. Naye players ko chance diya jayega aur existing form ko bhi judge kiya jaayega.

Recent ODI Series Highlights (2024–2025)

India vs Ireland Women – January 2025

• Result: India ne series 3–0 se jeeti
• Star Performer: Pratika Rawal ne 310 runs banaye aur Player of the Series bani

India vs West Indies Women – December 2024

• Result: India ne fir se ek clean sweep kiya – 3–0
• Top Bowler: Renuka Singh Thakur ne 3 matches mein 10 wickets liye

Pioneering Women Cricketers of the 1973 World Cup

Here are some of the key female cricketers who helped shape that historic event:

Rachael Heyhoe Flint (England – Captain)

• Captain of the England team and the leading force behind organising the 1973 World Cup.
• She raised funds, secured sponsorship, and advocated for women’s cricket at a time when it had little support.
• Under her leadership, England won the tournament. She later became the first woman to join the MCC committee and was awarded a life peerage for her contributions.

She was a true pioneer who fought for recognition and change.

Enid Bakewell (England – All-Rounder)

• Scored 118 runs and took 2 wickets in the final match of the 1973 World Cup.
• Renowned for her exceptional performances in both Test and ODI formats, with impressive all-round statistics.
• Her skill and consistency made her one of the most respected players of her era.

She showed the world the talent and depth of women’s cricket.

Trish McKelvey (New Zealand – Captain)

• Captain of the New Zealand team during the 1973 World Cup.
• Known for her steady leadership and contribution to the development of women’s cricket in New Zealand.
• Played a major role in promoting and sustaining the sport across the country.

She led by example, both on and off the field.

Margaret Jennings (Australia – Wicketkeeper-Batter)

• Played for Australia as a wicketkeeper and top-order batter during the 1973 World Cup.
• Went on to captain the national team and later served as a selector for many years.
• Helped Australia become a long-standing powerhouse in women’s cricket.

Her leadership continued well beyond her playing days.

Audrey Freyja (West Indies – Player)

• One of the early representatives of women’s cricket in the Caribbean.
• Took part in the early international matches and helped lay the foundation for future West Indies teams.
• Her efforts inspired many young girls to take up cricket in the region.

She was part of the early movement that brought visibility to women’s cricket in the West Indies.

Records Set in Women’s ODI World Cups

The Women's ODI World Cup has witnessed remarkable achievements since its inception. Here are some of the most significant records:

Highest Individual Score

• Belinda Clark (Australia) – 229 vs Denmark, 1997
  This remains the highest individual score in the history of Women’s World Cups and was also the first-ever double century in ODI cricket.

Most Wickets in a Single Edition

• Lyn Fullston (Australia) – 23 wickets in the 1982 World Cup
  A dominant left-arm spinner who played a crucial role in Australia’s success.

Most Titles by a Team

• Australia – 7 titles
  Years won: 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022. No other team comes close to this level of dominance.

Youngest Captain

• Shantha Rangaswamy (India) – Age 19 in the 1978 World Cup
  Led India in their debut World Cup appearance and became a key figure in early Indian women's cricket.

Oldest Captain

• Mithali Raj (India) – Age 39 in the 2022 World Cup
  India’s most iconic captain, who brought experience and stability to the squad in her final ICC tournament.

India’s Highest Team Score in a Women’s World Cup

• 281/3 vs South Africa, 2017
  Highlighted by Harmanpreet Kaur’s blistering 171*, one of the finest innings in World Cup history.

Mahila Cricket Ka Naya Yug

1973 se lekar aaj tak, mahila cricket ne ek लंबा सफर तय किया hai.
Pehle jahan ek businessman ne paisa dekar tournament कराया, aaj ICC, brands aur लाखों fans women cricketers ke साथ खड़े हैं.

Pehla Women’s World Cup ne sirf ek trophy nahi दी – usne women cricketers ke liye ek identity establish ki.

Aaj jab hum India ke liye अगला world cup जीतने की उम्मीदे लगाते हैं, तो humein un pioneers ko bhi याद रखना चाहिए jinse yeh सफर शुरू हुआ tha.