- Indian women's cricket team has changed the way women's sports are perceived
- Their success has increased participation in women's cricket
- Virat Kohli credits the team for changing perceptions about women's sports
Indian batsman Virat Kohli said that the recent success of India's women's cricket team has revolutionized the attitude towards women's sports, with increased participation, commercial success, and financial sustainability. The India women's side, which won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and gold at the Asian Games, is ranked third in both the International Cricket Council's Twenty20 and One-Day rankings, after only Australia and England.
"I believe the India women's cricket team has been the driving force behind bringing attention to women's sports in recent years," Virat stated at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit in Bengaluru on Saturday. "I witnessed this transformation over the span of six or seven years. As their performance improved, you could see the growing belief and the increasing engagement from people."
"Eventually, this led to better commercial opportunities, with more money being invested in women's cricket, culminating in the launch of the WPL (Women's Premier League)."
While the men's Indian Premier League started in 2008, it took 15 years for women to get their own T20 league in India. Virat, a T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy champion, said the league has taken the game "two to three levels higher than it was before."
"You can't only look at men for the development of sports in any nation. It has to be a national sports culture with everybody, and women's sport is very much a part of that," he stated. "We have plenty of talent in women's sport, not only in cricket, but also in other sports. We've had amazing individual sportspersons in tennis, badminton, wrestling, and boxing." ". Things are certainly going in the right direction, with more and more support and infrastructure being built to assist both women and their sports."
DRIVING FORCE
Cricket has been a key catalyst for change in India's sporting landscape, but women's involvement in other sports still needs greater support and platforms for visibility. Moya Dodd, former Australian soccer player and FIFA Council member, echoed Virat’s thoughts, stating that the success of women’s cricket in India will help pave the way for the growth of other sports in the country.
"I believe there's space for more than one sport, and while one may take the lead, it still opens up opportunities for women to participate in other sports," she said at the Summit on Friday. "The success of the WPL is remarkable, and it helps shift cultural perceptions about women in sports, which will positively impact other sports as well."
Moya likened the potential influence of India's women's cricket team to that of Australia's national women's football team, the Matildas, which she described as sparking a "social movement around gender equality, women's empowerment, and inclusion."
"The success of women's cricket in India will drive this movement, allowing other women's sports to gain societal approval and use that momentum to fuel their growth."
