Sunil Gavaskar has urged India’s World Cup-winning women’s side to keep their focus amid the celebrations.

After India clinched their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup, celebrations erupted across the country as sponsors and state authorities rushed to acknowledge Harmanpreet Kaur’s trailblazers. But veteran Sunil Gavaskar, drawing parallels with the 1983 men’s campaign, cautioned that some of the assurances given amid the hype could fade away with time.

“Don’t feel disappointed if a few of the announced rewards don’t actually reach you. In our country, companies, brands, and even individuals often rush to ride the wave of success, seeking attention by associating themselves with the winners,” Gavaskar mentioned in his Mid-Day column.

The former India captain highlighted that the surge of celebratory banners and promotional campaigns might appear motivating, but most are from entities, who are not connected to the players.

“Unless they’re true sponsors, most are simply leveraging your victory for their own publicity,” he added.

Gavaskar speaks from experience. “The 1983 team received countless promises, all widely reported in the media, yet nearly none came true. The media shouldn’t be faulted, as they were simply sharing the grand announcements, unaware that they were being exploited by opportunistic individuals,” he reflected.

He told the women champions that while some may exploit their win, the love of Indian cricket fans will be their greatest reward.

“So girls, don’t worry. The 1983 team can assure you that even decades later, the affection of the everyday Indian cricket fan remains our greatest treasure, and it will be yours as well.”