India, having been runners-up twice, is seeking its first World Cup trophy and has won both league matches in the current tournament, including a victory against Pakistan. Rodrigues emphasized that the team focuses on creating its own environment and not being affected by external ‘noise,’ regardless of performance challenges. The team supports each other and celebrates each other’s successes, which strengthens their bond.

Rodrigues, who scored 32 runs against Pakistan, explained that the team wants to win for those who paved the way, including Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Neetu David, and all those who have helped bring women’s cricket to its current status.

Rodrigues also noted that the pitches in Guwahati and Colombo have been somewhat challenging for batters. She described the Colombo pitch as being covered with covers, causing the ball to come with a slight pause, which allowed spinners to bowl well. She added that the team knew they had to adjust, take the match to the end, and build partnerships. She highlighted that everyone contributed, and Richa’s explosive innings helped them reach a winning score.

22-year-old fast bowler Kranti Goud of Team India wreaked havoc with her bowling against Pakistan in this match. Her contribution began during India’s batting innings when, in the 49th over, the young player hit a boundary, and then again in the 50th over. However, Kranti’s real brilliance was to be shown in bowling, and she wasted no time in doing so.

Sharing the new ball with Renuka Singh, Kranti kept the Pakistani batters in check from the start. In the 8th over, Kranti dismissed Sadaf Shams to take her first wicket, and then in the 12th over, she sent Alia Riaz back to the pavilion. After this, Team India had to wait 16 overs for the next wicket, and once again, this success was delivered by the Madhya Pradesh-born pacer.

When the Pakistani partnership was growing, captain Harmanpreet Kaur brought Kranti back, and the bowler dismissed Natalia Pervaiz on the very first ball. Thus, Kranti gave away only 20 runs in 10 overs and took 3 wickets. For such an outstanding performance, Kranti Goud was awarded the Player of the Match award for the first time in the World Cup.

Kranti’s story is like that of millions of Indian women whose work has been questioned at some point. She is at least like thousands of girls who have had to endure taunts for playing a sport, and especially cricket. Hailing from a village in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Kranti is the youngest of her 6 siblings, but she is currently the one shining the brightest for her village. However, there was a time when she and her family had to listen to the harsh words of the other villagers for choosing cricket. They were even told why she, as a girl, was playing cricket.

But Kranti got full support from her family, even when her father, who was in the police, lost his job. Seeing the elder brothers in her village playing cricket, especially fast bowling, Kranti also made it her passion, and then the process of learning cricket began. However, before getting the help of a coach, Kranti showed her talent in a local tournament.

In an interview, Kranti said that there were 2 teams of girls in the local tournament, and one of them was short of players. Kranti also went to watch the match, and someone asked her to play. There was no question of refusing, and what happened then shocked everyone. Kranti took 3 wickets in the match and also scored 25 runs, winning the Player of the Match award. From here, coach Rajiv Bilthare, who runs an academy, recognized Kranti’s talent and then transformed her into the player who destroyed Pakistan in Colombo.

Pant has become one of India’s wealthiest and highest-earning cricketers. According to reports, his total net worth in 2025 is approximately 100 crore rupees (around 12 million US dollars). His earnings come from IPL contracts, salaries from the BCCI, and lucrative endorsement deals.

Recognized for his fearless strokeplay and wicket-keeping skills, Pant remains an important figure in Indian cricket, even while recovering from injury. The IPL 2025 marked a new achievement for him.

During the IPL 2025 auction, Pant gained significant attention when the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured him for 27 crore rupees, making him the most expensive player in the league. He also earned 7.5 lakh rupees per match through the IPL engagement bonus system. Additionally, the BCCI provides him with a substantial salary.

Pant’s earnings are derived from multiple sources:

* IPL Salary: 27 crore rupees
* BCCI Contract: 5 crore rupees
* Brand Endorsements: 10-15 crore rupees
* Real Estate and Investments: 10 crore rupees

Match fees are as follows:

* Test Match: 15 lakh rupees per match
* One Day International (ODI) Match: 6 lakh rupees per match
* Twenty20 International (T20I) Match: 3 lakh rupees per match

Pant resides in a Delhi home valued at approximately 2 crore rupees. He also owns properties in Haridwar, Dehradun, and Roorkee. His collection of expensive cars includes an Audi A8 (around 1.32 crore rupees), a Ford Mustang (around 2 crore rupees), and a Mercedes-Benz GLE (around 2 crore rupees). Furthermore, Pant is a team owner.

This year, Pant purchased a team in the World Pickleball League (WPBL). In partnership with the online food delivery company Swiggy, Pant acquired ownership of the Mumbai Pickle Power team, a part of the World Pickleball League. Pickleball is a sport combining elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a court.

Under the Bihar government’s Medal Lao Naukri Pao scheme, 87 athletes who have won medals in national and international sports competitions this year are being given government job selection letters. The 87 athletes include 39 women and 48 men.

These athletes are being appointed to various departments based on their qualifications, ranging from Class One to various other categories as per their needs. Among the athletes selected for jobs, 10 have been selected as Police Sub-Inspectors in the 4200/- pay grade, including 8 female athletes. One athlete has been selected as a Child Welfare Officer in the 5400/- pay grade, and 65 athletes have been selected as Lower Division Clerks in the 1900-2000/- pay grade, along with 11 office attendants.

Shankaran also mentioned that approximately 8 crore (7,43,00,000/-) rupees in खेल सम्मान राशि will also be distributed during this ceremony to athletes, coaches, sports associations, and sports officials of Bihar who have won medals and performed outstandingly in national and international competitions across 44 sports disciplines.

The beneficiaries of the sports सम्मान राशि include 152 para-athletes, 631 athletes, 24 coaches, 5 sports associations, and one sports official. Out of the total 783 athletes, 297 are women and 486 are men. From 2022 to this year 2025, approximately 23.5 crore rupees in खेल सम्मान राशि have been distributed by the government among 2085 outstanding athletes of Bihar.