India's historic World Cup win has sparked hope that the country can establish itself as a major force in women's cricket, but the real question is whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will use this momentum to create lasting change.
For a nation with 1.46 billion people and a deep love affair with cricket, it's surprising that women's cricket has only gained traction in recent years. The BCCI's slow adoption of franchise leagues, such as the Women's Premier League, has left many wondering why they didn't follow Australia's lead by introducing the world's first franchise league, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), 8 years ago.
However, with Harmanpreet Kaur and her team now celebrating their maiden World Cup title, it's clear that something has shifted. The Indian captain delivered a powerful message to the media, urging her board to invest in women's cricket beyond just a few high-profile players. She emphasized that this is "just the beginning," hinting at a more ambitious vision for the future of women's cricket in India.
The BCCI's reward for Kaur and her team – 510 million Indian rupees, plus $4.5m from the International Cricket Council – is a good starting point, but it must be matched with meaningful investment in grassroots development programs across the country. The aim should be to encourage girls from all walks of life, from urban slums to rural villages, to pick up a bat and join the sport.
India's progress has been impressive, but there's still much work to be done to bridge the gap between men's and women's cricket. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, India ranks 131 out of 148 countries on key gender equality benchmarks. The cricket establishment is still dominated by men, who often view their female counterparts as little more than tea-makers.
While Australia will undoubtedly bounce back from their loss in the semi-finals, the question remains whether other nations outside the Big Two can follow suit. South Africa, too, have shown promise under captain Laura Wolvaardt, but consistency is key to success.
For India's women's cricket team to truly establish itself as a force, the BCCI must create a more level playing field and empower girls from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams. The prize money and recognition will be welcome, but they're just the icing on the cake if meaningful change isn't also underway.
In an era where sports can have a profound impact on society, India's decision on how to invest its cricketing success will send ripples throughout the country. It's time for the BCCI to think big and create a new world order in women's cricket that goes beyond just a few high-profile players – one that lifts millions of girls across the nation onto the pitch and changes society forever.
For a nation with 1.46 billion people and a deep love affair with cricket, it's surprising that women's cricket has only gained traction in recent years. The BCCI's slow adoption of franchise leagues, such as the Women's Premier League, has left many wondering why they didn't follow Australia's lead by introducing the world's first franchise league, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), 8 years ago.
However, with Harmanpreet Kaur and her team now celebrating their maiden World Cup title, it's clear that something has shifted. The Indian captain delivered a powerful message to the media, urging her board to invest in women's cricket beyond just a few high-profile players. She emphasized that this is "just the beginning," hinting at a more ambitious vision for the future of women's cricket in India.
The BCCI's reward for Kaur and her team – 510 million Indian rupees, plus $4.5m from the International Cricket Council – is a good starting point, but it must be matched with meaningful investment in grassroots development programs across the country. The aim should be to encourage girls from all walks of life, from urban slums to rural villages, to pick up a bat and join the sport.
India's progress has been impressive, but there's still much work to be done to bridge the gap between men's and women's cricket. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, India ranks 131 out of 148 countries on key gender equality benchmarks. The cricket establishment is still dominated by men, who often view their female counterparts as little more than tea-makers.
While Australia will undoubtedly bounce back from their loss in the semi-finals, the question remains whether other nations outside the Big Two can follow suit. South Africa, too, have shown promise under captain Laura Wolvaardt, but consistency is key to success.
For India's women's cricket team to truly establish itself as a force, the BCCI must create a more level playing field and empower girls from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams. The prize money and recognition will be welcome, but they're just the icing on the cake if meaningful change isn't also underway.
In an era where sports can have a profound impact on society, India's decision on how to invest its cricketing success will send ripples throughout the country. It's time for the BCCI to think big and create a new world order in women's cricket that goes beyond just a few high-profile players – one that lifts millions of girls across the nation onto the pitch and changes society forever.
. They're already raking in cash from the prize money, now it's time to put that into actual programs for grassroots development 
. We can't just stop at empowering a few high-profile players - we need to uplift girls from all walks of life, you feel? It's crazy that India has 1.4 billion people and still hasn't fully invested in women's cricket 
. And let's not forget about the pay gap between men's and women's teams - it's time for some serious equality 
.
they need to step up their game & create more franchise leagues like the WBBL 
or else it's just gonna be a bunch of high-profil players & not much els 
she said somethin about investin in womens cricket beyond just a few players & i'm all 4 that 
but for real, india needs to put some $$$ into grassroots dev programs across the country or else they're not gonna bridge the gap betwenz mens & womens cricket 
. we need more girls from all walks of life pickin up a bat & joinin the sport, not just the rich & famous ones 
.
this is so inspiring! India's historic win has finally brought some much needed attention to women's cricket, but it's time for the BCCI to take it to the next level 
. It's not just about the prize money and recognition - it's about creating a more level playing field and promoting real change 
. We're seeing progress, but we need to see more 
! The women's team is already making waves with Harmanpreet Kaur's powerful message, now it's time for the BCCI to back it up with meaningful action 
India finally won the World Cup! And let me tell you, this is just the beginning for women's cricket in our country. We need to see more investment in grassroots programs, especially in rural areas where girls from slums and villages are missing out on opportunities. The prize money and recognition are nice, but if we don't create a level playing field, we'll never reach our full potential. I'm looking at you, BCCI 
. We need more franchise leagues, better infrastructure, and investment in grassroots programs to get girls from all walks of life involved 
.
. The BCCI needs to create a more level playing field and empower girls from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams 
. The BCCI needs to think bigger than just high-profile players and invest in girls from all walks of life, you know? India's got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to women's cricket, but if they can get it right, watch out! 
and said that this is just the beginning of a bigger movement. So what does that say about us as a country? Are we ready to create a world where every girl has the chance to pursue her dreams, no matter who she is or where she comes from? 
. They need to invest in grassroots programs, not just hand out cash 
. Every girl in India deserves a chance to play cricket, regardless of where they come from or what their background is 
. We can't have women's cricket being seen as secondary to men's cricket anymore 
. The prize money is cool and all, but let's see some real progress 
. The BCCI's prize money for this win is a decent start, but it's only 510 million INR ($4.5m) compared to Australia's $50m+ 
. Meanwhile, India ranks 131 out of 148 countries on gender equality benchmarks 
.
. That's a huge gap!
. Can we imagine a future where girls from all walks of life are playing cricket at the same level? 
. I think this win is a huge deal for India, but let's not forget that women's cricket has been around in some form or another for ages. It's only recently that we're seeing more traction and growth. What really matters now is how the BCCI uses this momentum to make real changes. They need to invest in grassroots programs, not just hand out cash to individual players. We need to see a shift in culture, too - men shouldn't be treating women like they're inferior just because of their gender 
but hey, harmanpreet kaur & co just won the world cup so maybe we should give them a break 
but seriously, its time for the bcci to step up their game 
. The prize money is just a drop in the ocean if we don't tackle the systemic issues that have kept women's cricket on the backburner for so long 
. It's time to create a new world order that lifts millions of girls onto the pitch and changes society forever 
. We need to encourage more young girls to pick up a bat and join the sport, not just those from affluent backgrounds. It's about creating a level playing field and empowering girls to pursue their dreams 
️. The BCCI has the power to make a real difference in society through sports, so let's hope they think big and create a new world order in women's cricket that benefits millions of girls across the nation 
️. We can't just stop at prize money and recognition