MUMBAI: Praising the Indian men’s team for winning the 2026 T20 World Cup and the women’s team for winning the maiden ODI World Cup last year, former India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed hope that “there is hindsight from here,” and that both sides will “carry that momentum forward.” “I’m very happy and very proud to see what we’ve been seeing for the last few years. To come out with flying colors and achieve what we’ve achieved, not only the men’s team but the women’s team as well, to win the World Cup in (Navi) Mumbai. Recently, the men’s team, what they’ve done has been phenomenal. I hope this is where the comeback starts, because I hope this moment starts again for you. Often. Talk about momentum and now both the men’s and women’s teams have that momentum, I hope we carry that momentum forward,” Rohit said on Saturday at the launch of the new season of the T20 Mumbai League and the announcement of the three-team T20 Mumbai Women’s League.
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and then Surya Kumar Yadavthe Indian men’s teams won back-to-back T20 World Cup titles in 2024 and again in Ahmedabad on 8 March 2026, defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final. Meanwhile, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s team defeated South Africa by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai to win the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup last year at No.3. The modern-day great also credited the success of the Indian men’s and women’s teams to the “people behind the scenes”. “There is no secret to success, it’s all about hard work. The men’s and women’s team have worked really hard to achieve what they have achieved today. Of course, it’s not just about the players who perform on the field, there are many people behind the scenes who have worked so hard to make the team a success. There are so many people and officials to thank,” said the 38-year-old. Rohit’s advice to players in the T20 Mumbai League was simple: ‘Seize your chance.’ “You never know what’s going to happen, so you have to be ready for challenges whenever the opportunity arises. I still believe in the process of preparing really well and being ready for the opportunity,” said the ‘Hitman’.Asked if Mumbai cricketers have an edge over their counterparts because of the struggles they went through growing up as cricketers, Rohit disagreed. “I don’t believe that. When players are selected in the national team, there is a reason why they are selected. We have seen that there is a lot of competition in our country when we talk about cricket, from under-14 you have to be lucky; of course, you need talent to be successful but you also have to be lucky to be at the right time but sometimes you can get people’s attention. If you’re not looking, then you might be a bit unlucky. You also have to be lucky, but there is no substitute for hard work and it is not only with Mumbaikars but also with the players who are representing the country,” said the opening great. Indian women’s fast bowler Sayali Satghare, Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik, former president Ashish Shelar and the entire MCA supreme council were also present. Rohit expressed his happiness at “the way Mumbai cricket is shaping up.” “They are going through this tough grind to achieve success. But (I’m) very happy with the way Mumbai cricket is shaping up, also with what T20 Mumbai has done. We have seen a lot of young cricketers who have played this T20 Mumbai have gone on to play with the IPL team and of course the national team, so it’s a big, big platform. I believe that those who are going to win this match, I think it’s We will be happy again after winning last season,” he said. Rohit gave credit to the MCA for holding the revived T20 Mumbai League even though the monsoon had just started. “It was a tough job right after the IPL ended, and the monsoon had just started. I have to give credit to each and every member of the MCA for organizing three games in one day and also a big, big round of applause for all the groundsmen who put their hands up and prepared the ground, that’s why I said there is no substitute for hard work. With the addition of three new teams, it is getting bigger,” Rohit said.
