NEW DELHI: The ICC women’s cricket World Cup will kick off on Friday in Guwahati, where India will take on Sri Lanka. Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, in his column for the ICC, wrote that this could be an important moment in the history of women’s cricket in India, and also recalled his memories when he was inspired by India’s 1983 World Cup and the knocks played during the campaign.
The sport had got a massive shot in the arm when Indian women reached the final of the 2017 edition in England. However, a global trophy still eludes India, and Tendulkar feels that it can change with Harmanpreet Kaur and Co chasing that ultimate goal at home.
"I sense that women’s cricket in India stands on the cusp of its own watershed moment. The upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup will not just be about chasing a trophy; it will be about igniting countless dreams," Tendulkar wrote.
"Somewhere in Moga, a teenage girl might be clutching her bat tighter, hoping to emulate her idol Harmanpreet Kaur. In Sangli, another girl might be practicing her drives, daring to dream like Smriti Mandhana."
Harmanpreet had gained national attention with her breathtaking 171 against Australia in the semifinal of the 2017 edition. That knock remains fresh even in Tendulkar's memory.
"I still remember vividly Harmanpreet’s magnificent 171 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup. It was not just an innings; it was a statement. The sheer audacity of her strokeplay, the clarity of her mind, and the courage in her heart took women’s cricket in India into a new orbit.
"I believe that was the moment when many stopped seeing women’s cricket as a sideshow—it became centre stage."
He is also hugely impressed by elegant left-hander Mandhana.
"There is a silken grace to her batting, a natural rhythm in the way she times the ball. Her ability to find gaps with such elegance reminds me of the finest in the game."
The ICC event at home provides women's cricket the platform it needs, said the cricketing legend.
"Now, the sport has the opportunity to transcend barriers—of gender, of perception, of accessibility. The little girl with a plastic bat in a small town must feel that the world is open to her, just as I felt after watching a triumphant Team India in 1983."
He also praised current ICC chairman Jay Shah for supporting women's cricket in India.
" A lot of credit must go to Jay Shah, who, during his time as BCCI secretary, pushed for equal match fees for men and women and laid the foundation for the Women's Premier League," Tendulkar added.