“All we need is equal respect,” Smriti Mandhana

The seasoned 28-year-old left-handed opening batter and the Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, in a recent conversation at an event launched by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sports and Society Accelerator, coined as the Sports-Forward Nation, emphasis on the positive changes that the women’s game has witnessed in the last few years while also stressing on some of the key factors that have played the role of a catalyst in the growth of the women’s in sport.

"All we need is equal respect," Smriti Mandhana
“All we need is equal respect,” Smriti Mandhana

The event focuses on discussing the future of cricket and the growth of women’s sports, with the report capturing the insights and emphasising building strategies and recommendations for the growth of women’s cricket and other sports. In recent times, there have been a lot of reformations put in place by the BCCI with an intent towards encouraging women’s participation in the sport.

For instance, the introduction of equal pay parity to bridge the gap between male and female athletes pursuing cricket and representing India at the international level, and the introduction of India’s first-ever franchise league for women, coined as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in 2023.

The WPL, approaching its 3rd edition, has only grown in stature and attracted massive crowds and viewership fueling the growth in terms of public interest and investment in the women’s game in the country since the first couple of editions, and it is only expected to go up a notch in the upcoming edition.

Mumbai Indians (MI), led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, were crowned as the inaugural champions of the tournament, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), led by skipper Smriti Mandhana, ended the franchise’s long-awaited title drought of 16 years by clinching the elusive trophy in the 2nd edition of WPL in 2024 by defeating the Delhi Capitals in the final of the 2nd edition of the tournament.

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Smriti Mandhana also spoke about the changing landscape of the women’s game, indicating a brighter future by drawing comparisons from her early days representing India at the international level, saying “From the time we started playing in terms even for the Indian team to having stadiums which were mostly empty to now filling out stadiums wherever we play as an Indian team or with RCB.

“I think it’s just a good, brilliant thing to watch, and I think more importantly as cricketers or as sports people, sometimes people mis-conceptualize thinking that we as women want equal stuff, but all we need is equal respect. People know us, people appreciate us, and criticize us, which is great. I think people are caring about women’s sport, they are watching it. So, I think it’s a journey and I just feel it”.

She also spoke about the inspiring influence of other sports personalities in the women’s game, in the form of former Indian Lawn Tennis Player Sania Mirza, when she became a global icon through her remarkable achievements in her sport. The Indian vice-captain and the RCB skipper, Smriti Mandhana, herself is an emerging global icon alongside the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj from India when it comes to women’s cricket.

“My ultimate dream is to see two women’s teams playing some gully sport and fully enjoying it. If that happens, then we can say we have inspired girls to take up a sport, and that will be a win for us in our life as sportspersons,” said Smriti Mandhana giving insights into her ultimate dream while also defining a benchmark of success for her as a sportsperson in the country.

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Smriti Mandhana will next be seen in action leading the RCB franchise in the upcoming 3rd edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) from 14th February (Friday) to 15th March 2025 (Saturday).

This time around, the tournament will be played across four cities, namely, Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai. The defending champions will kickstart their campaign in the 3rd edition on the opening day of the tournament against the Gujarat Giants, on 14th February 2025 (Friday) from 7:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).

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