Earlier this week, the Indian women's cricket team made history by winning its first World Cup title, nearly 50 years after the side played its first international match.
The women fought hard for their win; after a three-match losing streak in the round-robin stage, they overcame external and internal challenges to defeat then un-beaten Australia in the semi-final and a resolute South African side in the final.
The grit and determination they showed on the field are reflected in their lives off it.
Many of the players come from India's small towns and have had humble beginnings. They come from families that had to sacrifice much to support their dreams and believed in them when no-one else did.
These are women whose careers were built playing cricket in village lanes, with second-hand bats and seam-less balls and many doubting their ambition because of their gender. Theirs is a legacy that was forged because they kept going when it would have been easier to stop.
Harmanpreet Kaur: Leading with what she came from
After the historic win was secured, captain Harmanpreet Kaur sprinted towards her father, Harmandar Singh Bhullar. She leapt onto him, celebrating together as a daughter and a captain.
Born on 8 March 1989 in Moga town - long known as the drug capital of Punjab - she rose from modest beginnings with her father supporting her cricket dreams despite societal pressures.
Amanjot Kaur: Composed under pressure
Amanjot Kaur’s father crafted her first cricket bat from leftover wood when professional gear was too costly. Her poise in the World Cup final was reflective of her hard-fought journey.
Radha Yadav: From pavement stall to podium
Radha Yadav transformed her family's fortune with her cricketing success, opening a grocery store with her first earnings and embodying the spirit of perseverance from a young age.
Renuka Singh Thakur: Quiet control
Thakur has continued her cricket journey despite personal loss, now leading India’s bowling attack and showcasing patience and discipline throughout the World Cup.
