By Sunita D
The Indian women’s cricket team has etched its names into sporting history once more, this time off the pitch. The squad has been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year 2026 award, marking the first time in the 26-year history of the Laureus World Sports Awards that a women’s cricket team has ever been shortlisted in this category.
The recognition is the direct reward of a remarkable, against the triumph. After a rocky start that saw three consecutive group stage defeats to South Africa, Australia, and England, the team found themselves on the brink of elimination before staging a stunning comeback. Their semi- final against Australia produced one of the tournament’s defining moments, as India pulled off the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history, hunting down 339 with five wickets to spare.
In the final at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, India posted a commanding total and then dismissed South Africa for 246, with Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul sealing a historic victory.
The achievement has been widely described as a watershed moment for women’s cricket in India, the country’s equivalent of the 1983 men’s World Cup triumph.
India’s nomination was confirmed on March 3, with the squad going up against five other elite teams: Paris Saint-Germain, who dominated European football with six trophies including a maiden Champions League title; McLaren’s Formula 1 outfit, who wrapped up a record extending Constructors’ Championship with six races to spare, the European Ryder Cup team, England’s women’s football side, who defended their European Championship and the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder who claimed their first ever title.
The winners selected by the Laureus World Sports Academy will be announced on April 20, 2026 at Cibeles Palace in Madrid.
For a team that nearly didn’t make the knockout stages, the ultimate prize in global team sport is now firmly within reach.