- One of the most common sights whenever we travel across the length and breadth of the country is the way cricket is played at every nook and corner, and/or whatever space is available. We always witness a bunch of players from every hue and colours playing with gay abandon on a sport that is the legacy of the erstwhile British Raj that has entrenched so decisively here. So much so that cricket is considered no less than a religion in the country that never fails to unite us with such passion, following, popularity, and devotion. The positive impact of sports on a country’s collective psyche requires no further elaboration. Unquestionably, cricket in India is a great celebration that continues to wield enormous traction.
PC: NewsDrum
- As you are aware, cricket in India took a monumental turn when the Kapil Dev-led side won the 1983 Prudential World Cup in England, beating the invincible West Indies in the finals. That historic win propelled cricket in India to previously uncharted territories, popularizing the sport beyond one’s imagination. Of course, BCCI administrators ensured the popularity, following, and reach of cricket kept breaching new boundaries. The introduction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament completely altered the equations, with unheard-of revenue pouring into the sport. In all this, women’s cricket was still finding its moors despite starting on an even keel in the 1970s, though men’s game vaulted leaps and bounds after the World Cup win.
PC: Olympics.com
- Thankfully, women’s cricket gradually started receiving much-needed support from the administrators around the world. Australia, England, New Zealand, India, and the South African women’s team started enjoying the attention that these teams richly deserved. The recent culmination of the Indian Women’s Team lifting the coveted 50-over ICC World Cup comes at an extremely crucial time, as more girls are looking up to the sport to take up the same as a profession. The much-needed money is pouring into the sport courtesy of smart marketing, branding, and, of course, talent that speaks for itself. Women’s cricket scenario in India and around the world has undergone welcome changes is a big plus. The aesthetics are there for all to see.
PC: Mint
- Team India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, lifting the ICC World Cup should be considered as an epochal moment for women’s cricket in India, definitely. It can be safely conjectured that what the win did to men’s cricket after the 1983 World Cup win would be expected to befall on women’s cricket too, with the awesome victory in the 2025 finals against South Africa. Even diehard men’s cricket followers must be nodding in appreciation by acknowledging the fact that women’s sport has undergone a definite sea change. The talent, skills, endurance, power, aesthetics, and spirit surrounding women’s cricket in India are palpable signs that the sport is bound to take off spectacularly from here on. Proud of the Women’s Team for such a monumental achievement.
