Knock-knock! When can we have Women’s IPL?

India is always considered as one of the greatest cricket playing nations in the world, as the game is played quite extensively all over the country. Though the game is mainly played by men in India, the Indian women are also playing the game for quite some time now. The Women's Cricket in India started its journey several years back, during the 1950s. Since then women’s cricket have been recognized as one of the popular sports for women in India.

If you look back in time, you will know that the first cricket World Cup was played by women in 1973 which was followed a couple of years later by the men’s cricket World Cup in 1975. Not only the World Cups, but women in the cricket playing nations play Test, ODI and T20 just like their male counterparts.

The advent of IPL (Indian Premiere League) in 2008 in India set the wheels of cricket popularity rolling not only in India but all over the world. Big cricketing guns from different parts of the globe descend to this cricket crazy nation for close to two months to play this all exciting tournament. IPL not only acts as a platform for the young and budding cricketers to showcase their talent in front of the world but also gives all the cricket lovers to see their favourite players in one team. Is there anything that you will ask for when you have the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers playing together in one team named Royal Challengers Bangalore team? It is truly a treat to watch these players play together in one team. It is also interesting to see when you have your favourite players at loggerheads, say MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

If men’s IPL could create such a buzz, don’t you think that even their female counterparts must be raring to play such a competition? Australia has already taken the first step towards this. Every year in Australia the Big Bash League (BBL) is played in which there are eight teams fiercely competing against each other to win the ultimate trophy. The BBL is similar to India’s IPL. After seeing the success of BBL and IPL, former Australia women's Test captain and Head of Brisbane's Centre of Excellence, Belinda Clark revealed on 19 January 2014 the planning for a women's Big Bash League (WBBL). On 19^thFebruary 2015, Cricket Australia announced that a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) would commence in season 2015-16. The eight teams that play the WBBL are:

Sr. No.	Team
1	Adelaide Strikers
2	Brisbane Heat
3	Hobart Hurricanes
4	Sydney Thunder
5	Melbourne Renegades
6	Melbourne Stars
7	Perth Scorchers
8	Sydney Sixers

One of the leading Australian players Lisa Sthalekar came out of her retirement to play for Sydney Sixers in the inaugural season of WBBL. Sthalekar, 36, retired in 2013 as one of Australia's most accomplished women's players of all time, and as the only Australian to have scored 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets in women's one-day internationals. During her 12-year international career, Sthalekar was part of four Australian World Cup-winning squads as well as two Ashes-winning teams.

WBBL not only saw cricketers but also a tennis player playing the game. Former tennis star Ashleigh Barty signed with the Brisbane Heat for the inaugural Women's Big Bash League. Barty, who was 19 then, reached the doubles finals at Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open with partner Casey Dellacqua in 2013 and has competed in the singles at all four grand slams. Barty approached Queensland Cricket earlier this year to enquire about making a switch to cricket and she has since then joined Western Suburbs in the Brisbane Women's Premier Cricket competition.

Apart from the WBBL there is the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Women’s Cricket Super League (WCSL) that was started in 2016. The six teams that participate in this event are:

Sr. No.	Team
1	Southern Vipers
2	Surrey Stars
3	Western Storm
4	Lancashire Thunder
5	Loughborough Lightning
6	Yorkshire Diamonds

The Indian players that have featured in WBBL and WCSL are T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (Sydney Thunder and Lancashire Thunder) and opening bat Smriti Mandhana (Hobart Hurricanes and Western Storm).  

In 2018, BCCI organized one exhibition match between two teams; IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas that were led by Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur respectively. This year during the IPL, it is likely that three women teams led by Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Smriti Mandhana will play the T20s over a seven to ten day period.  

Though the IPL has been a lucrative affair in men’s cricket, the picture will not be exactly the same as far as women’s cricket is concerned. The essential prerequisites of starting a women’s IPL are getting good bidders/investors, sponsors, broadcasting partners, and ofcourse a solid pool of women cricketers who can compete at the international level.

Though Women’s IPL seems to be a long shot, it is hoped that the WBBL and Women’s Cricket Super League will push the BCCI to come up with the tournament.

Source: InsideSport

3 runs in 6 balls; Women in Blue choke; England win T20 series 3-0

Women in Blue had one of the most horrendous T20 outings last week as they were clean swept by the visiting English side. On Saturday, Heather Knight and co. handed over a 3-0 defeat to Smriti Mandhana's team in Guwahati.

Batting first, England posted a paltry 119-6 in 20 overs. The visitors started off well thanks to a 51 run opening partnership between Danielle Wyatt (24) and Tamsin Beaumont (29). However, the middle order failed to click, with only wicket-keeper Amy Jones (26) consolidating the innings. The hosts bowled brilliantly well to restrict England to a rather achievable target. Anuja Patil and Harleen Deol scalped two wickets apiece, with Poonam Yadav and Ekta Bisht accounting for one dismissal each.

Chasing a run a ball target, India would have fancied their chances. The valiant knock of stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhana (58) went in vain as India failed to cross the line by a solitary run. Mithali Raj remained unbeaten on 30, however was left stranded at the other end in the final over of the match. With three runs to get off six balls and with Mithali Raj in the middle, the odds were in India's favour. However, it felt as if the Women in Blue were bitten by chocking bug of South Africa as the eves lost the game by a run. England successfully snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Kate Cross was the pick of the bowlers for England picking up 2-18 in her four overs.

The England tour of India ended in a tit for tat manner, as the hosts clinced the ODI series and the visitors bagged the T20 series.


Source: Twitter

Highlighting four startling facts about women's cricket on this Women's Day

On the eve of Women’s Day, here are four startling facts about women’s cricket and women cricketers that will completely clean bowl you.

#1 Belinda Clark is the first cricketer to score a double century in ODI

If I were to ask you who is the first cricketer to have scored a double century in One Day International Cricket, there is no doubt that the unanimous answer would be Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master may have a gazillion cricketing records to his name but, contrary to popular belief, Tendulkar isn’t the first player to score 200 runs or more in a One-Day International.

Let’s go back in time and take a leaf out of the international women’s cricket. 13 years before the master blaster batsman reached this landmark, there was a lady, who had already achieved this feat. On 16^th December 1997, the then skipper of Australian women’s cricket team Belinda Clark had smashed an unbeaten 229 off just 155 balls against Denmark in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match that was played at MIG Ground, Mumbai to propel Australia to a mammoth 412 for 3 against Denmark. It was a brutal annihilation of an inexperienced attack, and Clark was just too hot to handle for the Denmark eves. The Australian team went on to win the match by a mammoth margin of 363 runs.

Belinda Jane Clark was born on 10^th September 1970 in the metropolitan area of New Castle in New South Wales, Australia. She is a former female Australian cricketer, who played international cricket from 1991 to 2005. In an international career that spanned for close to 15 years, Clark led the Australian women’s team to two World Cup victories (1997 and 2005) and one final (2000) after taking charge in 1994.

On 16 September 2005, Clark announced her retirement after playing in 118 one-day internationals and 15 Tests. She holds Australia's record for Test and ODI runs and also for ODI appearances.

Source: Cricketcountry

#2 Mithali Raj is the first Indian cricketer to score 2000 T20I runs

Mithali Raj's journey from dancing to the tunes of classical music to making the bowlers dance to her tunes has been a phenomenal one. For close to two decades, the Goddess of batting in India has enthralled the cricket enthusiasts, and in the process achieved many a milestone, the latest one being the highest run-getter in T20I for both men and women. In her career spanning 85 matches, the right hand bat has amassed 2283 runs at an average of 37.42, laced with 17 half centuries. Raj standing tall at 35 years of age is just like wine; she is getting better and and better with age.

Born in Rajasthan and playing her cricket for Hyderabad, Mithali is unequivocally a role model for the budding women cricketers. She is the epitome of grace and elegance, and has the ability to mesmerize the audience with her delightful batting. Reading a book before she goes out to bat keeps her calm and allows her to focus on her batting rather than be worried about the external elements. The former India's T20 captain has shown the world that the shortest format of the cricket is not just about power hitting but it a perfect blend of aggression and technical strokeplay.

Mithali's form in the on-going Women's World T20 is outstanding as she has already scored two consecutive half centuries winning the Player of the Match against Pakistan and Ireland. In her glorious international career, Raj has achieved almost everything but not the World Cup. She led her team  to two finals in 2005 and 2017 in the 50-over Women's World Cup but ended up as runners-up on both the instances. The Women's World T20 that is currently being played in the Caribbean is probably the best chance for Mithali to add yet another feather to her cap. India has won three out of three matches in the Group stage so far and has qualified for the semi-finals of the Women's World T20. The batting maestro will look to give her everything to clinch the World Cup.

 

Source: ESPN Cricinfo

#3 The first Cricket World Cup was played by women two years prior to men’s World Cup

The first ever Cricket World Cup was played by women in 1973, two years prior to the men’s World Cup that was played in 1975. The inaugural tournament was held at different venues across England in June-July 1973. England, New Zealand, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, International XI, and Young England were the teams that participated in the tournament. The matches were played in round robin format, and there were no knock-out games. England won the competition with 20 points and Australia secured the runner-up position with 17 points.

Source: Wikipedia

#4 Overarm cricket was introduced by a woman named Christina Willes

When you talk about any sport it is important to know a little amount of history behind that sport. Cricket is a game rich in history and all the cricket lovers in and outside India have no doubt about this. If you have read some history of cricket I am sure you must be certainly aware that the bowlers used to bowl underarm for quite some time. It was only in the early nineteenth century that the overarm cricket was introduced and the credit goes to none other than a woman named Christina Willes, who was the sister of Kent cricketer John Willes. Thanks to the voluminous skirts that the women wore back in those days, Christina was compelled to bowl overarm to her brother John when they were playing cricket in their garden. Thus was born overarm cricket, not by choice but by accident.

Source: The Guardian

Is India missing Harmanpreet Kaur? England Women take an unassailable lead of 2-0 against India in T20s

India Women continued its losing streak in the T20s against England when they lost by five wickets on Thursday at Barspara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.

Batting first, India put up a horrendous show with the bat as the hosts dwindled down to a paltry 111-8 in 20 overs. The opening pair of Harleen Deol (14) and Smriti Mandhana (12) got off to starts however failed to capitalize. Mithali Raj looked good for her 20 but was dismissed against the run of play. Deepti Sharma (18) and Bharati Fulmali (18) looked to consolidate, but it was too late in the day. Is India missing Harmanpreet Kaur? May be. With the ball, Katherine Brunt was brutal as she picked up 3-17 in her four overs.

In reply, the visitors chased down the target with five balls to spare, winning the match by five wickets. Opening bat Danielle Wyatt played right through the innings scoring an unbeaten 64. Wyatt was ably supported by Lauren Winfield (29) towards the end. Indian bowlers kept it tight as they forced England to take the match till the very last over. Slow left arm bowler Ekta Bisht scalped 2-23 in her four overs.

Having clinched the T20 series, the two sides will lock horns against each other on Saturday for the last and final T20 at the same venue.


Source: Getty 

India Women lose to England in the first T20

After a stupendous performance in the 50-over format, a lot was expected from the Women in Blue in the three match T20 series against England. The ODI series was clinched 2-1 by India, with all three matches being played in Mumbai.

At Guwahati on Monday, both the sides locked horns against each other in what turned out to be a lopsided affair. Batting first, the visitors posted a challenging 160-4 in 20 overs, thanks to skipper Heather Knight (40) and a 89-run solid opening partnership between Danielle Wyatt (35) and wicket-keeper Tammy Beaumont (62). The Indian bowlers had an off day at office except for Shikha Pandey (1-18 in four overs) and Radha Yadav (2-33 in four overs). Deepti Sharma with her off spin also struck with 1-35 in her four overs.

In reply, under the leadership of stand-in skipper Smriti Mandhna, India eves were dwindled down for a paltry 119-6 in 20 overs, losing the match by 41 runs. The top four batswomen ended up with single digit figures. Shikha Pandey top scored with 23 not out and batted well with Deepti Sharma who remained unbeaten on 22. The English bowlers bowled well in tandem, striking at regular intervals, and not allowing the otherwise powerful Indian batting line-up to fire. Katherine Brunt and Linsey Smith accounted for two dismissals each, with Anya Shrubsole and Kate Cross pickig up solitary wicket apiece.

The two sides will face off on Thursday at the same venue.


Source: The Guardian