That congratulatory message was met almost immediately by a sharp retort from the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which quoted Banerjee’s previous remarks on women’s safety and late-night movements, tweeting: “OMG they were playing till 12, but you had told them to be home by 8.”
While the team’s feat on the cricket field remains the focus of national celebration, the jibe by the BJP has drawn attention back to Banerjee’s earlier comments about a gang-rape case in Durgapur. There she asked why a female student had been allowed to leave her hostel at 12.30 am and declared that “girls should not be allowed to get out. They have to protect themselves, too,” a remark critics described as victim-blaming.
The political volley underscores how sport, gender and state politics can collide in high-visibility moments. Ballistics from the corridor of power now accompany the dramatic images of athletes on the podium. For the BJP the target is twofold: highlight Banerjee’s earlier remarks on female safety and underscore what it portrays as a disconnect between the state government’s rhetoric and the ground reality of law and order in West Bengal. In turn Banerjee and her party argue that the political focus should remain on celebrating the team and the social capital built by women’s sport, not unravel into partisan attacks at a moment of national pride.
The victory by the women’s team has been hailed as a landmark for women’s cricket in India, following previous disappointment in World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017. Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the national side’s triumph is expected to boost participation, investment and visibility for women’s sport across the country. Domestic leagues, talent pipelines and infrastructure for female athletes are all suddenly in sharper view.