Ex-Pakistan Captain Rashid Latif Lauds India’s Win, Says it Will Uplift Girls Facing Restrictions

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif hailed India’s historic Women’s ODI World Cup triumph as a game-changer for millions of restricted girls across the border, declaring that Harmanpreet Kaur’s team has “opened doors that were locked for decades.” Speaking to IANS hours after India crushed South Africa by 52 runs in Sunday’s final at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, Latif said the sight of 35,000 fans roaring for women cricketers would force conservative families in Pakistan to rethink bans on daughters playing sports. “Many girls here are still told ‘ghar se bahar mat niklo’—this victory will help break that mindset,” he said.

Latif, who led Pakistan in 25 Tests and 35 ODIs, revealed he watched the final live and was particularly moved by Deepti Sharma’s match-turning 5/28 that snapped South Africa’s dangerous third-wicket stand. “Deepti didn’t just take wickets—she took hope to every girl who’s been stopped from holding a bat,” he added, praising Richa Ghosh’s explosive cameos that “changed games in ten balls.” The 57-year-old predicted BCCI’s financial muscle would now make the next Women’s World Cup “grander than ever”, with Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma’s presence in the stands signalling that women’s cricket has finally arrived on Indian cricket’s biggest canvas.

The timing couldn’t be more powerful: just weeks after Pakistan’s women’s team was forced to train in secret parks due to security threats, Indian players paraded the trophy through Mumbai streets amid sea-to-sea celebrations. Latif urged PCB to capitalise immediately. “Show these highlights in every school in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi—let parents see what their daughters can achieve.” He warned India against complacency, saying, “This can’t be a one-off—now defend it, dominate like Australia did for 30 years.”

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As #GirlsCanPlay began trending across Pakistan—with teenagers posting videos of street cricket using India’s victory montage as background music—Latif’s words struck a chord. “India didn’t just win a cup,” he signed off. “They won freedom for the next generation on both sides of the border.”

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