Mohali burst into celebration on Sunday night as its very own Amanjot Kaur helped India script history by winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Outside her modest family home in Phase V, the neighbourhood came alive with fireworks, dhol beats, and shouts of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” as locals poured in to celebrate the 25-year-old all-rounder who turned a dream into reality.
While millions watched the match unfold on screens across India, it was one decisive moment that sealed Amanjot’s name in cricketing memory — her sharp catch of South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt that halted a threatening chase. That instant, replayed endlessly online, turned into a symbol of calm under pressure. Her quick reflexes and disciplined fielding were key to India’s 52-run win that secured the title in Navi Mumbai.
At her Mohali home, her father Bhupinder Singh, a carpenter by profession, was surrounded by neighbours, relatives, and local youngsters waving the tricolour. “She’s made us proud beyond words. We always knew she had it in her,” he said, his eyes welling up. Yet behind the smiles was a story of quiet struggle. Days before the final, Amanjot’s grandmother suffered a heart attack — a fact the family chose to keep hidden from her until after the match. “We didn’t want anything to shake her focus,” Bhupinder shared.
Amanjot’s journey began on the dusty grounds of Mohali, where she often played cricket with boys in the local park. Her early coach, Nagesh Gupta of Sector 32 Academy in Chandigarh, recalls her determination. “She never missed a session, even when it rained. She had an instinct for the game — her timing, her energy, her temperament,” he said. Under his guidance, she learned to bowl controlled seamers and refine her batting technique, traits that would later define her all-round credentials.
Her rise through the ranks wasn’t easy. Switching between Punjab and Chandigarh domestic teams to gain more exposure, Amanjot fought for a spot in the state line-ups before breaking into the senior circuit. Her consistency in domestic tournaments caught selectors’ attention, and in early 2023, she was handed her India cap. That same year, her stint with Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League further sharpened her competitive edge.
Those who’ve known her since childhood describe Amanjot as humble, disciplined, and deeply attached to her roots. Her neighbours recall her carrying a cricket kit bigger than her frame as a teenager. “She would run down the lane to catch the bus to training every morning,” laughed an elderly neighbour. “Now, the whole country knows her name.”
As news of India’s victory spread, celebrations spilled out across Mohali — sweet shops handed out free laddoos, children danced on rooftops, and congratulatory banners appeared overnight. Local cricket academies are already planning to felicitate her upon return, calling her an inspiration for every girl who dreams of the blue jersey.
For Amanjot, the win marks the beginning of a new chapter. Speaking after the match, she said, “This is not just our team’s win; it’s a win for every girl who has ever played with passion. My dream started on the streets of Mohali, and I want more girls to believe that theirs can too.”
As dawn broke over Mohali the next morning, her home remained crowded with visitors and well-wishers. In one corner of the small living room, her grandmother, now recovering, smiled quietly while watching replay highlights of her granddaughter lifting the trophy.