The advent of the Women’s Big Bash League by Cricket Australia in 2015 marked a pivotal moment for women’s cricket, igniting a new era of enthusiasm and investment. This was soon followed by the launch of the Super League by the England Cricket Board in 2016, which has since evolved into the dynamic The Hundred.
These leagues have not only captivated audiences but also provided a significant boost to the sport’s visibility and financial backing. Cricket West Indies added to the excitement with its own Women’s Caribbean Premier League, and India swiftly capitalized on this momentum by establishing the Women’s Premier League to elevate the sport cherished by millions.
In recent developments, Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka emphasized the importance of franchise leagues during the WCPL, with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board announcing plans for a T10 league this December, further contributing to the global expansion of women’s cricket.
South Africa is set to join the fray with its own league. After the ICC T20 World Cup 2023 final, where South Africa’s Sune Luus led her team to its first-ever ICC final, she remarked, “We have done our best to give the girls in the country the best possible chance. We would have obviously loved to win, but I do not think we could have given it a bigger shot and more of a chance.
“It is obviously up to CSA and the Minister of Sport and whoever is in charge of cricket in this country to knock on doors and open those doors and give women’s cricket the best chance they could possibly have to keep up with Australia, with England and with India,” as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
The dream of a women’s SA20 league is now closer to reality, with Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) partnership with sports betting giant Hollywoodbets expected to accelerate the process. The women’s domestic professional leagues, established last year with government support, will now be known as the Hollywoodbets Pro Series, featuring both T20 and 50-over competitions.
South African stars such as Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez, Chloe Tryon, and Shabnim Ismail have gained invaluable experience from various global leagues. This experience is crucial not only for enhancing their own skills but also for elevating the national team’s performance. The expansion of franchise cricket offers players opportunities to engage with top global talents and adapt to different playing conditions.
CSA views this initiative as part of a broader strategy to elevate women’s cricket, which has seen tremendous growth internationally over the past five years. With the success of standalone World Cups in both T20 and 50-over formats and the rise of franchise leagues in Australia, England, and India, the sport’s evolution is accelerating.
“This will assist us to implement an SA20 for women,” said CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki. “We’d given ourselves three years before looking at creating a SA20 women’s league, but hopefully by 2026 we can launch.”
The path to launching this league is complex. Following the national team’s runner-up finish at the recent T20 World Cup, players, including then-captain Sune Luus, advocated for a similar competition for women. CSA faces the challenge of ensuring there are enough high-quality local players to sustain a league.
“We need to discuss it with SA20 itself and then we need to talk to the ‘pipeline’ managers, and ask: ‘do you think we have players who are ready?’ We don’t want to just launch an SA20 for the sake of it, we want it to be of the same standard as the men. We hope, by allowing (the Pro Series) tournament to become embedded, that after three years we are ready to launch an SA20.”
Hollywoodbets, already a supporter of local women’s football, is excited to make a significant impact on women’s cricket.
“We’ve seen tremendous success in women’s football through our sponsorship of the Hollywoodbets Super League, and now we look forward to making a lasting impact on women’s cricket with the Hollywoodbets Pro Series. Our country has incredible talent waiting to be unearthed, and with this enhanced platform we can discover the next Nonkululeko Mlaba or Chloe Tryon,” said Devin Heffer, Hollywoodbets brand and communications manager.
Moseki also highlighted the importance of corporate support: “Having a partner like Hollywoodbets is great, because it shows that corporates see value in women’s sports. There is normally a lot of talk from corporates about supporting women’s sports, but then it just stays talk, there’s not a lot of action. So having an organisation like Hollywoodbets coming to the party and joining us on this journey is amazing.”
In conclusion, the global rise of women’s cricket through franchise leagues marks a transformative period for the sport. South Africa’s efforts, bolstered by corporate support, highlight a promising future. With ongoing investment and growth, women’s cricket is poised to thrive, inspiring new talent and solidifying its place on the world stage.
(Quotes sourced from Times Live)