"The Girls Have Created History": Virat Kohli's Heartfelt Tribute to India's Women's World Cup Champions

In a deeply personal and emotionally charged social media post, Virat Kohli—who has established himself as one of sport's finest human beings through his consistent advocacy for equality and recognition—paid a heartfelt tribute to India's women's cricket team following their historic World Cup triumph. The former captain's words, shared across Instagram and Twitter within hours of the final whistle, resonated far beyond cricket circles, capturing the collective pride of a nation and articulating what the victory meant not just for the current generation, but for generations to come.

The Message That Moved a Nation

Virat Kohli's Instagram post read: "The girls have created history and I couldn't be more proud as an Indian to see the hard work of so many years come to life finally. They deserve all the applause and a big congratulations to Harman and the whole team for achieving this historic feat.

"Also congratulations to the whole squad and the management for the work behind the scenes. Well done India. Enjoy the moment to the fullest. This will inspire generations of girls to take up the sport in our country. Jai Hind."

His shorter tweet version captured the same sentiment with perhaps even greater succinctness: "Inspiration for generations to come, you've made every Indian proud with your fearless cricket and belief throughout. You guys deserve all the accolades and enjoy the moment to the fullest. Well done Harman and the team. Jai Hind."

Why Kohli's Words Carry Weight

Virat Kohli's tribute carried particular significance coming from someone who has led India through some of cricket's greatest moments and understands intimately the weight of responsibility that comes with wearing the national colors. Unlike casual celebrity endorsements, Kohli's message was rooted in genuine understanding of what the women's team had achieved and what it meant for Indian cricket.

Moreover, Kohli has consistently been an advocate for women's cricket throughout his career. He has publicly stated his belief that women cricketers deserve the same recognition, resources, and respect as their male counterparts. His words were therefore not performative but reflective of his genuine convictions about gender equality in sport.

The Broader Celebration

Kohli was among the first—if not the very first—major cricketing figure to publicly congratulate the team. While his post may have seemed like a simple social media tribute, it served as a cultural validation that helped set the tone for how India's cricketing community and the nation at large would celebrate the victory.

Within minutes of Kohli's post going live, other cricketers, celebrities, and public figures followed suit. Sachin Tendulkar, in a particularly powerful statement, compared the victory to India's iconic 1983 World Cup triumph, suggesting that the women's victory would prove similarly transformative for the sport.

Actor Anushka Sharma, Kohli's wife, added her own tribute: "Champions of the world! Super women have made this historic moment happen! What a game! Love you girls."

But Kohli's message came first, and in coming first, it essentially granted permission for the nation to celebrate at the highest level—to treat this victory not as a feel-good story but as a genuine world championship requiring genuine pride and recognition.

The Context: A Journey of Two Decades For those who understood Indian women's cricket history, Kohli's phrase "the hard work of so many years" carried profound meaning. India's women's team had reached ODI World Cup finals in 2005 (losing to Australia in Centurion) and 2017 (losing to England at Lord's). They had also reached the T20 World Cup final in 2020, only to fall short against Australia.

For two decades, the team had come close. Multiple times. The management, the players, the coaches, and the support staff had invested countless hours into building a team capable of winning a world title. Yet despite playing consistent, competitive cricket—often winning bilateral series and tournament matches—that elusive World Cup trophy had remained out of reach.

Kohli's acknowledgment of "the hard work of so many years" was therefore a recognition that this wasn't a sudden, unexpected triumph but the culmination of systematic investment, planning, and belief.

The Inspiration Factor

Perhaps the most important element of Kohli's message was his emphasis on inspiration: "This will inspire generations of girls to take up the sport in our country."

Kohli understands that sporting victories have ripple effects that extend far beyond the playing field. A young girl watching Harmanpreet Kaur lift the World Cup trophy, watching Shafali Verma perform under pressure, watching Deepti Sharma take five wickets on cricket's biggest stage—these images create possibilities. They plant seeds of ambition.

Coming from a player who has been a role model for countless young cricketers (both boys and girls), Kohli's emphasis on inspiration carried immense weight. He was essentially saying: "This victory is not just about these 15 players. It's about what it means for everyone who loves this sport and dreams of representing India."

The Management Recognition

One underrated element of Kohli's message was his specific mention of "the whole squad and the management for the work behind the scenes."

While the players naturally receive the acclaim, Kohli recognized that World Cup victories don't happen without exceptional coaching, preparation, strategy, and support systems. He called out:

Head coach Amol Muzumdar, who rallied the team after three consecutive losses

Selection committee members who made bold calls (like including Shafali Verma as a last-minute replacement and using her in an unconventional way)

Support staff who worked on fitness, nutrition, mental health, and strategy

The BCCI, which provided institutional backing for women's cricket

By specifically mentioning "the work behind the scenes," Kohli was highlighting that this victory belonged to an entire ecosystem, not just the players on the field.

Comparison to 1983

When Sachin Tendulkar compared India's 2025 women's World Cup victory to India's iconic 1983 men's World Cup win under Kapil Dev, he was making a profound statement about transformative moments in sport.

The 1983 victory was credited with popularizing cricket in India and creating generations of cricket fans. Similarly, analysts and commentators predict that the 2025 women's World Cup victory will lead to:

Increased participation of girls in cricket at school and club levels

Greater media coverage and sponsorship for women's cricket

More young girls aspiring to professional cricket careers

A cultural shift in how Indian society views women's athletics

Kohli's message, by emphasizing inspiration for generations, aligned with this broader understanding of the victory's significance.