Harmanpreet, the stern but inspirational figure whose sides have so often had to live in all-conquering Australia's shadow, really found her smile on Sunday as her team, inspired by one-time girl wonder Shafali Verma, beat South Africa by 52 runs in the final in Navi Mumbai.
"This is the start," declared a smiling Harmanpreet. "We wanted to break this barrier, and our next plan is to make this a habit.
"We were waiting for it, and now this moment has come. So many big occasions are coming, and we want to keep improving. This is not the end, just the beginning."
It was a clear warning to the world No.1 side Australia, who are now without a global crown in either the T20 or 50-over game, that their long-standing pre-eminence really is under threat.
India ended the reign of Alyssa Healy's side in the semi-final, with the Australian skipper acknowledging before the final that the creation of new champions would "do great things for the global game."
A splendid final certainly did. Put in to bat, the hosts, fresh from knocking out Australia on the same DY Patil Stadium turf three days earlier, posted 7-298 off their 50 overs, thanks largely to half-centuries from Shafali (87) and allrounder Deepti Sharma (58).
South African captain Laura Wolvaardt then led South Africa's reply with a captain's knock of 101 off 98 balls, her second consecutive century after her match-winning 169 in the semi against England, but the Proteas still fell short, being bowled out for 246 in 45.3 overs.
Player-of-the-tournament Sharma (5-39) and player-of-the-final Verma (2-36) were then the heroes with the ball as India became only the fourth country to win the Women's World Cup in its 52-year annals after England, Australia and New Zealand.
Verma's tour de force felt like a fairytale for the hosts. Only last week, the 21-year-old who had once been the much-hyped 15-year-old wonder girl of the Indian game but had subsequently lost her place in the team, had been sitting at home when the call came following an injury to star opener Pratika Rawal.
She proved quite brilliant, smashing her 87 off 78 balls, featuring seven fours and two sixes, while getting India off to a flyer with Smriti Mandhana, the pair putting on 104 for the opening wicket off just 17.4 overs.
Then Harmanpreet had a "gut feeling" that Verma, a part-time spinner, just might do something with the ball too.
"I just saw Shafali standing there ... My heart was saying I had to give her at least one over -- and that was the turning point for us."
With South Africa cruising at 2-113, the skipper threw the ball to the woman who'd only taken one ODI wicket before, and Verma responded by getting Sune Luus caught-and-bowled with her second delivery and then had key allrounder Marizanne Kapp caught behind in her next over.
It left the magnificent Wolvaardt fighting almost a lone hand, as she went past Healy's 2022 record for most runs in a single tournament, amassing 571 to the Australian's 509.
But when she holed out in the deep off Sharma in the 42th over, with the ball being juggled in the deep by Amanjot Kaur before she clung on ecstatically, the game was effectively up.
"I'm just really proud of the resilience we showed to make it all the way to the final," said a disappointed Wolvaardt, beaten in a second straight global final after last year's T20 showdown against New Zealand.
The big show all ended, fittingly, with Harmanpreet taking a superb over-the-shoulder catch off Sharma's full toss at extra cover to get rid of Nadine de Klerk, prompting the skipper to wheel away madly in excitement as the crowd celebrated just as joyously.
"I think it's all destiny — I really believe in that," beamed Harmanpreet.
