Smriti Mandhana Speaks From Heart Regarding Crowd Support In India
Mandhana has been a flag bearer of Women's cricket in India (X.com)
Over the past few decades, Women's cricket in India has undergone a significant transformation. From humble beginnings to its current prominent status, the progress has been tremendous.
Smriti Mandhana, one of the pioneers of this change, has observed substantial positive developments in women's cricket over the last five to six years.
India has made significant advancements in developing women's cricket, creating an infrastructure that offers women equal opportunities to participate in the sport.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has played a crucial role in this transformation, leading to the rise of many players who have become superstars both on and off the field. Smriti Mandhana recently highlighted the evolving landscape of women's cricket.
A major turning point was the 2017 Women's World Cup. Under Mithali Raj's leadership, the Women in Blue delivered outstanding performances and reached the final, capturing everyone's attention.
Harmanpreet Kaur's remarkable 171* against Australia in the semi-final is now part of the history books. Although India lost the final to England, the team's journey was widely celebrated, and women's cricket received unprecedented media coverage and public support.
Following the 2017 World Cup, the Women's T20 Challenge emerged in 2018, and now the Women's Premier League (WPL) is held annually, drawing the biggest names in women's cricket to India.
The success of the team in ICC events and the emergence of players like Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Deepti Sharma as match-winners have significantly changed the dynamics of women's cricket.
In a landmark decision in 2022, the BCCI ensured equal pay for both men and women cricketers, marking a major step forward. Women's cricket in India is undoubtedly on the rise.