New Delhi, Dec. 21 -- At the end of it all they stood huddled together. Laughing and crying and hugging and reassuring each other, holding the trophy, kissing it, passing it along. Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra. Three generations of Indian women's cricketers lived the dream as India were crowned the world champions for the first time in front of a packed DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on 2 November.

The current Indian team had won the World Cup, but they hadn't forgotten the women who had broken down doors for them, blazed a trail with their sweat, blood and tears. That acknowledgement, the camaraderie, the respect between India's heroes young and old gilded the glory.

It was the ...