Published: Mar 19, 2016, 08:00 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 19, 2016, 08:41 AM (IST)
India Women have successfully started their campaign in Twenty20 (T20) Women’s World Cup 2016 with a 72-run win against Bangladesh Women at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. India posted 163 for 5, their highest ever T20I total. Skipper Mithali Raj top-scored with 42, while Vanitha VR, Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy also chipping in. Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav picked two wickets apiece, ensuring India Women sealed their first win in the tournament. India Women have been consistent with their winning streak, starting with big win against Australia Women in T20I series at their own den, and continuing the momentum in T20I series against Sri Lanka Women this time at home soil. The win against Bangladesh Women made it 7 wins in 8 matches for India Women . FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India Women vs Pakistan Women, Match 7 at Delhi
Despite their success, the women somehow fail to attract the same glamour as their male counterparts. The women’s match was no less intriguing, and featured record-breaking performances; the men’s match, on the other hand, proved to be disastrous, causing disappointment amongst fans. Social media changed tunes almost immediately afterwards: ‘So what if Indian men were not their best, the women made us proud.’
Let us ponder on that statement. Have the Eves already not given enough reasons to make Indians proud?
Mithali Raj or Jhulan Goswami’s achievements have been discussed too often to narrate. For years they have carried the burdens of India Women on their shoulders. But what about others? What about Harmanpreet Kaur, an all-rounder matched by few in the world? Or of teenage prodigy Smriti Mandhana? Or Rajeshwari Gaekwad, their slow left-arm workhorse? READ: India vs Pakistan, Women’s World T20 2016: Likely XI for hosts
When India Women were playing against Sri Lanka Women, the men’s series against Sri Lanka were scheduled alongside, but seldom gained attention.
Tennis stars like Sania Mirza and shuttle queen Saina Nehwal have become household names. Exactly why India Women miss out in respect and mass-craze in the era of showbiz and hype eludes logic. Why, in a cricket-crazy nation, does women’s cricket not command the hype and respect of women’s badminton or tennis?
Ask a layman, and he will probably not be able to name an entire XI of Indian Women; most will not be able to name even five. It is a matter that has been spoken and discussed time and again with Mithali silencing critics by going all-out expressing her views, backing BCCI’s decision to televise matches. READ: ICC World T20 2016 good opportunity to promote women’s cricket in India
One thought things were on the rise during the T20I series in Australia. Unfortunately, the telecasters withdrew the moment the men’s team came back, which meant viewers back in India were denied watching the Women’s ODIs. However, West Indies coach Vasbert Drakes backed the broadcast of Women’s matches on a special video telecast by ICC. This improvement was bought in just at time of International Women’s Day.
However, India Women have got sufficient media coverage following the consistency of their performance. To improve things further, Mithali has expressed her wish for India Women to participate in tournaments like BBL (which does have a women’s version), which may give youngsters like Smriti, Harmanpreet or Veda Krishnamurthy a chance to develop as cricketers and mature very quickly, something India needs at the moment.
(Shruti Hariharan is Content Writer with CricketCountry. You can follow her on Twitter at @Shruti_2890)
