India’s maiden ICC Women’s World Cup victory has given “new life” to all-rounder Amanjot Kaur’s ailing grandmother, the cricketer’s father said on Monday.
Amanjot’s grandmother, Bhagwanti Kaur, 75, has been bedridden since suffering a heart attack in September. “The news of India’s victory and Amanjot’s performance have given a new life to my mother,” said Bhupinder Singh, 54, a carpenter who crafted his daughter’s first bat by hand.
He said doctors discharged his mother from hospital on November 1 at the family’s request so she could stay home for the final match. “She is bedridden but conscious. When we told her about the win, she opened her eyes,” Bhupinder told IANS.
India beat South Africa by 52 runs in the final. Amanjot, who joined coach Nagesh Gupta’s academy in Chandigarh at age 15, trained as a bowler before being developed into an all-rounder. She debuted in domestic cricket for Punjab in 2017–18, played for Chandigarh in 2019–20 and returned to Punjab in 2022–23.
Her catch in the Women’s World Cup final was seen as a turning point in India’s win.
Bhupinder said his mother inspired Amanjot to pursue cricket. “When Amanjot played street cricket with boys near our house, my mother would watch her for hours,” he said. Before focusing on cricket, Amanjot also played hockey, handball and football.
Amanjot’s father added that his daughter called the family around 1 a.m. after the victory and plans to return home in a few days. “India’s win and her performance have motivated my mother to live longer. She has been the driving force behind Amanjot’s success,” he said.
IANS