‘I didn’t want it to end’: Australia reacts to new documentary retelling iconic Women’s World Cup victory

86,174 fans. A crowd this large had never been seen before in a women’s cricket match in Australia. But on March 8, in line with International Women’s Day, this crowd became witness to one of the greatest accomplishments in Australian women’s sport.

A new two-part documentary following the Australian Women’s Cricket Team’s experience through the 2020 T20 World Cup series, titled The Record, was released last week. The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at the journey to the World Cup final and the bold, four-year effort to set a new world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event.

The project was undertaken by Her Films, headed by producer Nicole Minchin and journalist Angela Pippos.

“When Ange was talking to me about women in sport, it just felt like a whole world opened up to me that I didn’t know existed, which was really exciting,” Angela Pippos said to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I think it’s the equality that resonated with Nic – that these stories have really been ignored, and we wanted to celebrate sportswomen and tell their stories in a creative and interesting way.”

The documentary details everything from the rocky rainy weather experienced on the semi-final day, to the ultimate culmination of women’s team rising the trophy high above their heads in celebration of their victory.

The founder of Ladies Who Legspin and Ladies Who League, Mary Konstantopoulos, described the 2020 tournament as a day “we will never forget”.

“This was a night that set a new benchmark and ensured that the next generation of men and women will hear different messages about the power of women’s sport,” Mary Konstantopoulos said in her review of the documentary.

“My hope for the Australian Women’s cricket team is that this documentary will act like a time capsule for them.”

The Record is streaming now on Amazon Prime.