Women, men reclaim night streets after Blue win in Navi Mumbai
Times of India | 4 November 2025
Kolkata: As the clock ticked past midnight on Sunday, the city streets came alive with honking cars, waving Tricolours, and joyous chants of ‘India, India!' as Kolkata reclaimed night when India's women lifted the cricket World Cup for the first time in 47 years.
After the Indian women's team defeated South Africa to win the World Cup, for many, it wasn't just a victory; it was a night of reckoning and a celebration of women's triumph that spilled far beyond the boundaries of sport.
Park Street resident Sharna Choithramani was among the first to join the midnight revelry. "The feeling can't be expressed in words," she said, her voice still hoarse from shouting in joy. "We were out on the road when India's men's team won the World Cup in 2011 and the T20 World Cup last year.
But this time, the emotion was deeper." She and her family took a drive around central Kolkata, the Tricolour fluttering from their car window.
In Jadavpur, Surabhi Dutta, a tech professional, watched the final with six friends at home. When
took the final catch to seal the win, the group jumped on their bikes, flags in hand, and rode through the night. "We danced and burst crackers near 8B bus stand with other groups that gathered there," Dutta recalled.
For Chirashree Chakraborty of Patuli, who followed women's cricket for over a decade, the win was deeply personal. "I've seen the heartbreaks, the near-misses, the years of waiting," she said.
In several parts of Kolkata, the celebrations merged seamlessly with the city's festive spirit. At Shyam Park in north Kolkata, members of the Square Athletic Club carried The National Flag alongside Jagaddhatri Puja immersion processions — a rare, symbolic blending of devotion and victory.
At Mahamayatala in Garia, college student Oishiki Bhattacharjee described how neighbours gathered to watch the match. "People burst crackers, danced to Chak De! India, and waved flags late into the night," she said. In Joka's Gennex Valley, Angel Bhattacharjee recalled families stepping out to share sweets.
In Bhawanipore, student Raghav Aggarwal said the National Anthem played out on loudspeakers after the final wicket, followed by a burst of fireworks that continued till late in the night.
For a change, none complained.
WhatsApp groups also buzzed with memes, posters, and congratulatory messages for Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. "Our cricket group was alive since the semi-final victory and on Sunday night, there were unending messages and videos being shared there," said businessman Mahesh Punjabi, who often travels abroad to watch Team India play.