Women’s cricket has made remarkable progress in recent years, with unprecedented advancements only in the last quarter. Record-breaking scores and generous paychecks have become the norm, a far cry from the past three centuries since the inception of women’s cricket in 1745. Indians, players, and patrons have emerged as leaders of this revolution, driving the sport forward. As the U19 ICC World Champions, India prepares for white ball supremacy.
BCCI intent & ICC interest
The transformation of women’s cricket owes much to the concerted efforts of the BCCI and ICC. The foundation was laid with the exhibition fixtures of women’s cricket clubbed as double headers for the IPL. The ICC’s silent execution of back-to-back U19 and T20 World Cups in South Africa attracted global attention. With all televised matches and replay referrals in the semi-final onwards in Under 19 WC, the ball started rolling. Over 100 registrations of global media followed as compared to a few freelancers. The BCCI and ICC have played a pivotal role in the transformation of women’s cricket. The exhibition fixtures of women’s cricket clubbed as double headers for IPL laid the foundation for the growth of the sport.
Auction & inflation
The growth of women’s cricket has been significantly influenced by auctions and inflation. The introduction of new leagues, auctioneers, and the increased prize money has created a buzz among players, their families, and fans alike. In fact, a record-breaking 87 elite players were auctioned for a whopping 60 crores, with some players’ careers being resurrected by the high price tags. To put things into perspective, let’s compare the prize money of the Women’s Big Bash League 2022 in Australia and India’s Women’s Premier League 2023. The WBBL 2022 prize money was $450,000, which is approximately INR ₹3,68,84,475. In contrast, the WPL 2023 prize money is ₹6 Crore, which is approximately USD $7,32,015.60. Interestingly, the first-ever women’s cricket match had a humble beginning with Gingreale and a few drinks on a lazy afternoon in a sleepy village in England in 1745. Since then, women’s cricket has come a long way. With the continued support of fans and the introduction of new leagues and tournaments, the future of women’s cricket looks bright.
Diminishing disparity
Australia and England have long been considered the titans of cricket. However, recent statistics suggest that the gap between the two teams is rapidly decreasing. In fact, the difference between a new champion and a six-time reigning champion was determined by a single batting hit – a six. When asked about this trend, Ashleigh Gardner, a prominent Australian cricketer, noted that the number of matches and franchise cricket has allowed teams to share their best practices with foreign team members. As a result, critics predict that the Australian wall will be breached sooner rather than later. Interestingly, the Indian team seems to be taking a page out of the Australian talent migration playbook.
Meritocracy mushrooming
As the sport of cricket continues to gain popularity, the concept of meritocracy is also on the rise. Gone are the days when players were selected based solely on their reputation or name recognition. Today, scouts are under intense scrutiny to identify the most talented and high-performing athletes, such as top batters like Harmanpreet and Jemima, who are now being auctioned off for millions. In a recent post-match interview, Jhulan Goswami was asked about her ideal job. Her response was simple yet profound: “I am happy traveling across the length and breadth of India and scouting the best talent.” This statement highlights the importance of identifying and nurturing young talent, which is essential for the growth and success of the sport. Interestingly, the current highest wicket-taker and purple cap holder of WPL Saika Ishaque, a rising star in the world of cricket, received her first cricket kit from none other than Jhulan Goswami herself.
Runs rumble
The excitement of any game is often measured by the high-scoring fixtures that leave fans on the edge of their seats. The ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2023 two back-to-back games were no exception. Indian fans were thrilled to witness their team chase down the biggest score of 149, posted by their arch-rivals Pakistan. The Aussies also crushed the Kiwi girls by a whopping 97 runs after posting a total of 173 runs, which left fans elated. The English camp was not left behind in the celebrations, as they breached a massive total of 213 and defeated Pakistan’s margin by 114 runs. This remains the highest run in the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup to date.
Comms Disappoint
The opening ceremony of the cricket tournament was marred by a series of disappointments for the television production team. From displaying the wrong player names on the screen to a delay in confirming stats, the team faced several challenges. To make matters worse, the commentators were lackluster and uninterested, with little attention to detail. The group of 34 commentators, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu speakers, look more like a newly formed cabinet ministry. Many of the former players on the microphone came across as nationalistic, jingoistic, and sardonic, leaving fans craving for more insightful and nuanced commentary.
In conclusion, the packaging intent and content look splendid for the first week of WPL. It’s time to buildup on the growth path make changes and evolve with an eye on the 2028 LA Olympics where cricket is jostling with Baseball-softball, lacrosse, kickboxing, squash and flag football among others as a medal sport.
(The writer is the founder of
Indian Sports Fan and Women’s Cricket Historian.)
