Cricket and trophies have been closely intertwined for decades, but cricket and a gold medal for the nation still has a crazy ring to it. As India succumbed to cricket fever of a different sort on Monday night, celebrating the women’s triumph against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final in Hangzhou, it’s worth a debate if the T20 format belongs in a multi-discipline event.
Keeping in sync with the changes which are being made to the Summer Olympics, the Asian Games and even the poor Commonwealth Games, bringing in new sports has provided for captivating experiences. Sample this, cricket was held years ago, at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. After that, cricket was included in the Asian Games as well, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) baulked at the idea of its teams participating.
So, does cricket really have a place in the Asian Games, and are these medals relevant? If you follow a nation’s sporting success and are ready to cheer, every sport counts. For the Indian cricket board to have had a rethink, and allowed both the men’s and women’s teams to compete in Hangzhou was a big deal.
Agreed, with the ICC World Cup starting in less than a fortnight, the cream of the men’s crop may not be in Hangzhou. However, if these Asian Games dates were a little different, the BCCI would have fielded a full team.
The first attempt at fielding a strong side in cricket, which resonates as a pan-Indian sport, happened last year at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. The women did win a medal, though not gold. A gold at the Asian Games is a roaring success, if you go by the coverage on conventional media, social platforms and the buzz on TV channels. It is a clear signal that women’s cricket is here to be embraced.
As a nation, India has accepted that women need to be given more chances and included in every walk of life. The country has in Draupadi Murmu a President who is the titular head of state for a billion-plus population. There is a plan to bring in reservation for women in the august houses of Parliament and even the State Assemblies. So, how can one not give value to the medal won by Harmanpreet Kaur’s team?
These are, indeed, interesting and changing times. Women are being given equal opportunities, and, on merit. They are part of the ISRO space mission and we saw the world celebrating Indian women scientists as part of the Chandrayaan landing success. The same way, a cricket medal from the women at the Asian Games signals changing times.
One must not forget that sports are being included and removed from the programmes of mega multi-sport Games. Now and then, one hears that the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles could see cricket being included. The way the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is harping on gender equality, women’s cricket will definitely get in if the white-ball T20 format gets the nod.
Cricket is no longer a sport played by just a dozen nations. The mushrooming of T20 leagues the world over for men and women signifies its growth. If Australia pioneered the Big Bash League (BBL), the WPL in India is no bunny. It will grow. Plus, this gold medal will bring in more sponsors, hopefully, for women’s cricket.
In the old days, women’s cricket in India was perceived as slow, dull and boring. You cannot say that anymore. The girls are now fit, fast and furious. If you see the batting, bowling and fielding skills, the Team India girls have improved by yards, if not miles. How can one ignore the exploits of a girl like Titas Sadhu from Bengal, who exploded into brilliance in the Asian Games final against Sri Lanka with her fast-bowling skills?
There is room and space for women’s cricket to expand and grow. The very term, Olympic sport, is undergoing a sea change. Skate boarding, esports, break dance – all manner of disciplines are being included in the big Games.
In comparison, cricket is more global – regardless of whether it’s men or women playing. Proof of the pudding is in the United States of America co-hosting the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024 with the West Indies. The day is not far when the world asks for more women’s cricket as well. If a nation like the USA, which lives on NFL, NBA and NASCAR, wants cricket to come on board in New York, times are changing.
For all those still in doubt whether the Indian women’s cricket team winning a medal in Hangzhou is worth celebrating, it’s still not too late. Get those T-shirts and clap, please. Bleed Blue has a new shade today in Indian sport!