Women Of The Match

Every time Harmanpreet Kaur, the 36-year-old all-rounder from Moga, Punjab, steps into her chosen battleground—the cricket ground—she enters and stakes claim to a space created for men, by men, with language that excludes the Indian skipper and the team she leads solely because of their feminine gender. Long known as a gentleman’s—as opposed to a “ladies’”—game, cricket traditions have carried deep-rooted sexism: for instance, the best player was awarded as “man of the match”, batters were called “batsmen” and a fielding position was named “third man” instead of, simply, third, as it is called today.

“Witnessing women’s cricket reach new heights in India is truly empowering,” says Harmanpreet, whose journey in international cricket began in 2009. “Opportunities came later to us than to men’s cricket, but things are definitely getting better. The struggle has been worth it, and I am grateful if I have contributed to this positive change.”

The journey of the women who preceded Harmanpreet had challenged every unwritten rule of male dominance in the sport. Women playing cricket was quiet defiance in motion, a revolution wrapped in resilience. Slowly but surely, the gentleman’s game became the forte of fierce and fearless women who made the game their own with panache and elan. 

From the 2017 World Cup final to the 2020 T20 World Cup and a 2022 Commonwealth silver, and then a gold at the 2023 Asian Games, Harmanpreet has been central to India’s success. Having played under legends like Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj before becoming captain, Harmanpreet recalls the early years as “tough”. “We used to play very few matches, struggled financially and lacked proper facilities. Yet, no one gave up, for our passion kept us going. As infrastructure improved and more tournaments emerged, new talent stepped in.”

Where Are The Girls In Cricket?

Soumya Tiwari, the 20-year-old vice-captain of the Madhya Pradesh women’s cricket team, was just 11 when she faced rejection simply because she was a girl. The coach at a cricket academy in Bhopal refused to train her. “There are no girls here,” he told her. Heartbroken, she still kept showing up every day, and eventually the coach agreed, thinking it was just a summer experiment. But Soumya had bigger plans. After an impressive performance against a senior boys’ club, she earned a spot and began training seriously. In 2023, Soumya helped the India Under-19 side win the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup with a crucial knock against England in the final. 

In fact, for most women in cricket today, what turned into a life-long passion began with playing alongside the neighbourhood boys. This is how one of India’s standout wicketkeepers, 27-year-old Taniya Bhatia, started playing cricket in her native Chandigarh. She had been “secretly” watching the boys playing in a nearby park until her father saw her and got her enrolled with a cricket academy, where her training began under the watchful eye of cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s father, coach Yograj Singh. “I sported a boy cut and my body was always full of bruises,” she recalls. “In fact, for almost a week they took me to be a boy and treated me as one.”

Taniya was just eight when she started playing cricket. By 11, she was in the Punjab Under-19 team, and by 13, she had broken into the senior side. Years of dedication led to her India debut in 2018. “Cricket is in my blood. My father and my uncle were both wicketkeepers at the club level,” she says, but adds that her biggest support was her mother, her “role model”. “She took me to training and waited for me. Everything I do is because of her,” she says.

On how it all began for her, Harmanpreet says, “I played multiple sports: athletics, football, hockey and gully cricket. Watching my dad play volleyball and cricket brought me closer to sports. A hockey coach wanted me to go pro, but I never got a kick out of it. I went back to cricket with my dad and his friends. One day, a coach saw me play and asked my father to enroll me in his school team for women’s cricket. That was a day of hope and I began to dream.” 

Today, while she lives her dream, she hopes they had greater awareness around fitness, training and recovery in the early days, too, as “proper guidance in these areas helps prevent injuries and manage workload”. “Since the support staff have expanded, players have gained a better understanding of their bodies. Moreover, inclusion of mental health coaches provides players with the tools to handle performance pressure, self-doubt and other mental challenges that affect performance,” says Harmanpreet, adding that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has been a game-changer.

Long before the WPL, being a female cricketer in India meant no reservation in trains, no sponsors and paying from their own pocket for everything. That’s how former all-rounder Hemlata Kala, who played for India from 1999 to 2008, remembers the time. Along with Mithali, Jhulan and other pioneers such as Neetu David and Anjum Chopra, Hemlata, who now coaches the Uttar Pradesh women’s cricket team, fought hard for every opportunity. The 49-year-old veteran recalls the passion that drove them through those tough early days when they were a handful of determined girls building a career with borrowed kits and stubborn dreams, hoping the world would one day take notice.

“Even men’s cricket wasn’t well-supported then, so imagine the struggles women’s cricket faced. The Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) did what it could, but funds were always scarce. (Former WCAI secretary) Anuradha Dutt even chipped in from her own pocket. Things started improving as we approached the 2005 World Cup,” she says. A breakthrough came in 2006 when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) began to seriously support the women’s game. Today, the scene feels almost unrecognisable. Indian women walk into nearly full stadiums, are at the forefront in the WPL, and wear that blue with pride and purpose.

Women’s cricket in India officially took shape in 1973, when Mahendra Kumar Sharma founded the WCAI in Lucknow. Early tournaments like the Inter-State Nationals and Rani Jhansi Trophy drew teams from across the country, while trailblazers like Shanta Rangaswamy and Diana Edulji led the way.

The World Cups

When foreign teams toured India in the 1970s, playing in skirts while Indian players wore trousers, the contrast piqued curiosity. Crowds turned up in surprising numbers, especially with matches held in proper stadiums, unlike the low-profile club grounds abroad. Despite this early buzz, the sport suffered from lack of funding and visibility. Even a packed Eden Gardens during the 1997 World Cup final in Kolkata couldn’t sustain the momentum.

The flicker, though, was there, unmistakably lit. Then came the spark in 2005 when India’s women reached the World Cup final. Though they fell short against Australia, their determined run quietly shifted the landscape. For the first time, people started believing Indian women’s cricket had a future. 

Among the most prominent voices today is that of 48-year-old Anjum Chopra, whose cricketing arc took her from the pitch to the commentary box. Picking up the bat as a nine-year-old, she went on to become the first Indian woman to score 1,000 runs in ODIs and led India to their first-ever Test series win against England. “Eyebrows were raised when I started playing, but it never really affected me,” she says. “The motivation came from home, where sports was a way of life.”

There were no academies or coaching camps for women and Doordarshan was the only broadcaster. “Now, there is a lot more access to information and more awareness about women’s cricket,” she says. “Broadcasting is a competitive world, but I felt welcome from day one. Now, whether the team wins or loses, there’s consistent interest. The more we win, the better it gets. With leagues and more tournaments, this is just the beginning.”

The issue has often been visibility, both of matches and of women working beyond the field. Mandira Bedi, the first female cricket presenter, was belittled with her “noodle straps” grabbing much misogynist attention. She and her first few female peers stayed, made a space for themselves, and slowly opened the door wider for others. “The players are performing well and finally getting the recognition they deserve, but there are still only two women in the press box among 10 journalists,” says Karishma Singh, who has covered cricket for nearly 15 years. “When I started, I was often the only woman. The press box is still mostly male, but I have found good friends among the men who helped. This isn’t just in cricket; I saw similar gaps at the Paris Olympics.”

Play Like Virat Kohli

Annesha Ghosh, international cricket commentator, says one of the biggest changes is that more matches are now available for live streaming. “Almost everything is broadcast. Social media has played a big role in recognition, especially with the WPL. Indian women cricketers are becoming household names, and there is now significant monetary investment in the game,” says Ghosh.

As visibility improved and women began claiming their space over the past few years, the originally sexist language of cricket started evolving, too. “Language has always been a form of power that reflects who holds it, even today,” says Ghosh. “Gender-neutral terms matter because they show how power works, even in sport. It’s like the difference between using ‘aap’, ‘tum’ or ‘tu’ in Hindi; the words carry meaning beyond their surface. Changing ‘third man’ to ‘third’, ‘man of the match’ to ‘player of the match’ or ‘batsman’ to ‘batter’ does make a difference.” 

On narrow gullies and dusty maidans, the field seems to be opening up. There is a girl now in every huddle, setting her field and calling her shots. The time has come when young girls won’t be told to “play like Virat Kohli” or “hit like (M.S.) Dhoni”. Instead, they will be told, “lead like Harmanpreet”, “keep like Taniya” or “build a legacy like Mithali”. The comparisons won’t be with the men because women’s cricket is just as fierce and fascinating, and finally it is being seen for what it truly is: a game of its own, with heroes of its own.

Minal Tomar is a sub-editor at Outlook

This article appears in Outlook Magazine’s June 21, 2025 issue, Innings/Outings, which captures a turning point in Indian cricket — from retiring legends to small-town stars reshaping the game’s power map. It appeared in print as Batwoman.