NEW DELHI: Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president N Srinivasan found himself at the centre of criticism after the Indian women's team made history by clinching their maiden World Cup title on Sunday night.

Srinivasan's old, humiliating remark about women's cricket - made to former India captain Diana Edulji - resurfaced on social media following India's triumph, drawing sharp backlash for reflecting a chauvinistic mindset.

"When Mr. Srinivasan became president, I went to congratulate him at the Wankhede Stadium. He said, 'If I had my way, I wouldn't let women's cricket happen.' He hates women's cricket," Edulji had said in 2017 after India's Women's ODI World Cup final heartbreak.

"I've always been a BCCI basher, right from the day women's cricket came under the BCCI fold in 2006. BCCI is a very male-chauvinist organisation. They never wanted women to dictate terms or get into this space. I was very vocal right from my playing days," the former cricketer had further said.

It is no secret that former BCCI secretary and current ICC chairman Jay Shah has been instrumental in transforming the landscape of women's cricket in India. He introduced pay parity, ensuring women cricketers receive match fees equivalent to their male counterparts, and launched the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which provided a much-needed boost to women’s cricket in the country.

Following India's triumph in the Women's World Cup final, captain Harmanpreet Kaur appeared to deliver a pointed message to the critics who had questioned the team's abilities and resilience over the years.

"I think criticism is also a part of life. It's not necessary that everything should be good," she told reporters after the game.

"Criticism is one of the main things in life because it brings balance. Otherwise, if everything goes well, you'll be overconfident. I don't blame those who criticise, because we know when we aren't doing something right.