Cricket has always been a game of arch-rivals. New dimensions in the game have added to the excitement of lovers globally. The legacy of ashes and the craze of Indo-Pak clashes highlight that meeting of these names on the ground means something more than a match.
There is a new boundary to the excitement in the stands and nervousness in eleven players in the middle. However, women cricket is rising to the heights of their male counterparts and a new rivalry would serve in the right direction. Tournaments with the best players from the globe are now the highlights of cricketing streets.
ICC events and T20 leagues have attracted crowds from all stands. For women’s cricket, WBBL has been the go-to tournament for international players. Such an effort in the Indian soil has been the exhibition matches scheduled around IPL. In the preceding arrangement, Australian players could not take part due to disputes between the respective boards. It was unfortunate for the cricket fans that greats of the game like Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, and Alyssa Hayley could not be invited when the relation of the cricket boards hit the new low.
However, with Sourav Ganguly in charge, the boards have moved ahead of the past happenings and have assured the fans that exhibition IPL will be enlightened by the presence of such stars. In a meet concluded in the month of January, Ganguly sat with CA officials and gifted the cricketing fans with first Ind-Australia day-night test match and an assurance that top women cricketers will feature in the exhibition matches around Indian summer.
Mel Jones who is a part of Cricket Australia (CA) told media that great and fruitful exchange took place with BCCI officials. Interestingly, she highlighted that the availability of Aussie stars in India was of great significance as the Indian side was preparing to launch their own full-fledged IPL. This comment has enlightened the eyes of cricket fans in India who have been complaining of one-sided internationals.
However, this inclusion of Aussie star into Indian settings mark a new dawn in the women’s arena. With the globalization of the game and inclusion of players with huge fan following will only help the Indian cricketing attributes reach a new high. It is high time that Indians see a new IPL emerge exclusively for its cricket players. With a stage like this, with heavyweight names and furious play from all sides, it is no exaggeration to comment that Indians will sooner than later have their new icons. Indian women cricket needs their stars to shine brighter alongside new talent.
For emerging as a force to reckon, India needs to get more players in their domestic setting and uplift everything that has kept the team for bringing laurels.
A student who enjoys studying cricket more than anything else, keen to learn the insights of the women’s game.