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India won the men\u2019s Cricket World Cup on Saturday, defeating South Africa to end a dry spell in tournament victories that had lasted over a decade, even as the nation was dominating the sport globally in other measures like talent, cash and influence.<\/p>\n
The tournament was played across several Caribbean islands, with a few of the matches hosted in the United States, including at a pop-up stadium<\/a> in New York. When the final, in Barbados, ended with India declared the champion, it was close to midnight back home, where joyful crowds poured into the streets across several cities.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe in a couple hours it will sink in, but it is a great feeling,\u201d said Rohit Sharma, India\u2019s captain, who took a tour of the stadium with his daughter propped on his shoulders to thank the crowd. \u201cTo cross the line \u2014 it feels great for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It was a closely fought match, and a deeply emotional one for India, in part because many of its senior players, including Sharma, 37, were near the end of their careers. India last won the World Cup in T20, the shortest format of cricket, in 2007, when Sharma was just getting started. The top prize had also evaded Virat Kohli, 35, one of cricket\u2019s most recognized icons. Rahul Dravid, India\u2019s coach, had never won a World Cup during his long and illustrious career as a player.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n All three men ended the night on a happy note, with Sharma and Kohli announcing their retirement from the fast-paced short form of the game. <\/span>Dravid, who finished his stint as India\u2019s coach, is normally a quiet, stoic presence. But after the win, he was screaming and celebrating.<\/p>\n India\u2019s president, Droupadi Murmu, and prime minister, Narendra Modi, both congratulated the team. \u201cIn the field, you won the World Cup. But in India\u2019s villages, streets, and communities, you won the hearts of our compatriots,\u201d Mr. Modi said in a video message<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cricket, followed by hundreds of millions of people, is a crucial part of India\u2019s global brand \u2014 perhaps even more important than the country\u2019s film industry. The governing body of cricket in India has at times been accused of using its outsize economic heft to dictate terms around global cricket events, reflecting its status as the richest contributor and a destination for the world\u2019s best players.<\/p>\n The start of the Indian Premier League in 2007 transformed a sport that was once seen as slow and short of cash. In just 17 years, the league\u2019s brand value has surpassed $10 billion, making it among the richest sports leagues in the world<\/a>. Players routinely earn contracts worth over $1 million for a season that lasts about eight weeks, with some of the highest-paid bagging close to $3 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Last year, India launched the I.P.L.\u2019s sister league, the Women\u2019s Premier League, with $500 million \u2014 an investment similar to the one that started the men\u2019s league \u2014 and is already expanding opportunity for women<\/a> in India and for talent from around the world. The league\u2019s wealth has meant more investment at the grass roots to develop more players. Female players long in the shadow of the men\u2019s game are now finding brand endorsements, more TV viewers and thousands showing up for their matches at stadiums.<\/p>\n And the foreign players in both the leagues \u2014 all with large followings at home \u2014 are a public relations boost for India as they travel around to play, using social media to post admiration for the culture of a vastly diverse country.<\/p>\n In India, a cricket-crazy nation that closely follows the players\u2019 every move on and off the field, many of this generation of stars have been role models that could help the country move the needle on social issues, particularly about a public life that remains male-dominated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sharma, the captain, who is married to a sports management professional, and Kohli, who is married to an actor, often speak of the role of their partners in their careers. Sharma\u2019s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, and their daughter are often at his side during tours, while Kohli is frequently seen video-calling his family from the stadium after matches.<\/p>\n \u201cOur daughter\u2019s biggest concern was if all the players had someone to hug them after she saw them crying on TV,\u201d Anushka Sharma, Kohli\u2019s wife, posted on social media<\/a> after the win.<\/p>\n Jasprit Bumrah, who was named the World Cup\u2019s most valuable player, found himself doing his post-award interview with his wife, the broadcaster Sanjana Ganesan. This was a working couple on tour. Behind them amid the celebrations was their 10-month-old baby being looked after in a stroller.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you so much for talking to us, Jasprit, and all the best for\u2014\u201d Ms. Ganesan began as she wrapped up the interview. But her husband went in for a hug before she finished speaking and then ran back to join his teammates in celebrating.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n