Opinion U-19 women’s World Cup win for India: Celebrate the mighty feat of the feisty eleven

The triumph of India’s U19 women’s team in the inaugural ICC Junior World Cup signifies a big step forward for the game. In the days to come, seeds of professional cricket will be sown in the minds of parents across the length and breadth of the country, for nothing mainstreams a sport like a world title. It could well be a mini-1983 impetus for the women’s sport, or mini-2007 maybe, given how social media helps spread the word about the new champions in town. The women’s IPL has come hot on the heels of this triumph and is most timely. The senior team, too, has been consistently making semis and finals of ICC 50-over and 20-over World Cups, and inspired enough confidence in the BCCI to go ahead with plans of the women’s IPL.

The back stories of these teenaged world champions reveal how cricket remains a vehicle of aspiration for lower and middle class families. The message has now reached far and wide that sports provides a level playing field and can be an alternate career option. But make no mistake, the journey for most young women hasn’t been easy. They faced discrimination and gender stereotyping apart from the financial struggles of their parents. These tales also bring to light a heartening fact that Indian parents are willing to take a punt on cricket for the girls, just as they do on boys. This alone will see a proliferation of talent, making up for the slow development of women’s cricket so far, as compared to Australia and England. Going ahead, no one will dare question what women players are capable of in cricket, and how far they can go. They have shown that they can go the whole distance and there is no excuse not to invest in their training.

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The final frontier, though, remains to be crossed. Just like in men’s cricket, Australia remains the team to beat for seniors. India’s women have lost a bunch of finals to the Aussie women, and the gap in standards is real. The women’s team is yet to win a senior ICC title. Yet, despite the near-misses, cricket in India is now becoming truly inclusive as women assert their power and an equal stake in the country’s most popular sport — be it as spectators or players. It is to be hoped that the elusiveness of the senior ICC title begins gnawing, just like it does in the men’s sport. Today, though, is the time to celebrate the marvellous feat of the feisty eleven.