Let me start today by taking you back to a rainy day at the start of November last year in Navi, Mumbai. Where in front of over 35,000 spectators in the DY Patil Stadium the Indian Women,s Cricket Team faced off against South Africa in the final of the Women,s Cricket World Cup.
Local women, and men, watched and cheered for the home team for hours on end watching Shafali Verma, the youngest in the team – add a quick-fire fifty at the top of the order.
The precision bowling of Deepti Sharma – taking five wickets – after adding a half century of her own.
Shree Charani,s work through the middle of South Africa,s innings, stemming the flow of runs just when India needed it most. Amanjot Kaur,s juggling dive to take a catch inches from the ground – turning the game for the home team. And captain Harmanpreet Kaur – plucking the ball out of mid-air to spectacularly end the game.
The stadium erupted.
India had won its first ever Women,s World Cup title – defeating South Africa by 52 runs.
It was an incredible result – and one which I probably don,t need to remind too many of in this room - though I am happy to help you relive it.
But it is worth celebrating again, and again, the victory of the Indian women,s cricket team, many of whom come from small or remote towns, with limited resources, who would train with the boys or even pretend to be boys because there was no girls team, who stood up to their families, or communities, who said girls couldn,t or shouldn,t play sport, that they should only dream of marriage, and children, and not a professional sporting career on the world stage.
It shows what we also know – that women have persistence, and dedication, and guts.
We will just get on with it.
If we, as Governments and as sporting codes, do our bit and invest in them and their sport.
Women,s cricket in India, and in Australia, has been leading the way on this.
In Australia, cricket is the first major sport to have pay parity at the domestic level – with our players contracted as full time athletes, no longer needing to pay their own way on tours, or maintain employment alongside their sporting careers.
And in India – international cricketers have had equal match fees since 2022, and since 2025, seen a massive pay increase for play in domestic matches.
The Women,s IPL has exploded in popularity and made dozens of women household names and role models across India.
Now of course – it,s not enough.
More work is needed, to close the gaps, overcome historical imbalances, and outdated attitudes, and unlock greater commercialisation, sponsorship, and broadcast opportunities for our female athletes, across all sports and sporting codes.
More work is needed, to knock down the other barriers that exist to women,s full participation in sport and in our society, barriers to education, opportunity, safety, and respect.
But the Indian Women,s victory at the last World Cup shows us very clearly what happens when you invest in women, when you commit to pay parity, and equal professional opportunities.
Or to quote Captain Harmanpreet Kaur – "We were waiting for this moment, and now this moment has come."
"Now we want to make this a habit."
Gender inclusion – and women,s empowerment through sport – is a core component of our Sports Diplomacy Strategy.
Sport gives women space to lead, to hold power, to gain financial and personal independence, and a very public chance to challenge ideas about women,s place both on the field and out in the world.
Sport creates role models for women, for girls – and really, for everyone – and with this, the next generation of leaders, and cultural ambassadors.
It unlocks economic opportunity and growth for women and communities, through their engagement as players, and officials, or as administration and support staff, and through scholarships, grants, and endorsements.
And of course sport – whether at the local, elite, or professional level – provides a way to connect, cooperate, and understand each other, in a way that transcends our differences, of gender, culture, financial status, politics, or even nationality, united as we are by just a love of the game.
It,s a love we share with India.
And we,re excited to work together to strengthen our bilateral ties through sport – in sports performance, administration, technology, integrity, and events management, with these opportunities only growing – as we look to Brisbane 2032, and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India, and maybe even the 2036 Olympics in India.
Today,s event looks to how we can grow these opportunities and connections as we move through the green and gold decade together – with a focus on those opportunities in women,s sport in both our countries, and at all levels.
And what a great moment to be in Perth while the Women,s Asian Cup is on, and on the morning of this historic day-night test match.
I thank the Centre for Australia-India Relations for making today happen – and for standing ready to play a 'central, role in supporting your bold ideas.
Let,s think big.
Say – a future where WBBL and BBL matches are played in India, and the iconic WPL and IPL is brought to our great country.
Because the moment has come. And it,s on us to make this a habit.
Thank you.