India, Nov. 3 -- All of eight and a half years old, VVS Laxman was so captivated by watching Kapil Dev's team lift the 60-over World Cup in 1983 against all odds that he was doubly determined to immerse himself in the pursuit of cricketing excellence. Some 28 years later, when still an active player, he turned down an invitation from then head coach Gary Kirsten to witness the 2011 final at the Wankhede Stadium, struggling to explain to his four-and-half-year-old son why he had tears when Mahendra Singh Dhoni smacked the winning six.

At the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday, Laxman was one of 45,000-plus entranced spectators who basked in the reflected glory emanating from Harmanpreet Kaur's side going the distance in the 50-over Women's World ...