On Sunday night (IST), the England women’s cricket team was
crowned Women’s World Cup winners, having won by nine runs after a pulsating
finish against India at Lord’s. The tournament, which was thoroughly deserving
of a grandstand finish, got exactly that. India stunned six-time champions
Australia to reach their second ever final in the World Cup and in the final,
collapsed just as the team seemed to have this trophy in its hands. Their
undoing was one individual: Anya Shrubsole, whose five-wicket spell is what
cricketing dreams are made of. All of this came on the back of the Indian
cricket board (BCCI) having announced (on Saturday) a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh
for each member of the Indian team for their performance in the ICC World Cup
in England.
However, the question is, is this the start of something bigger for women’s sport in the country? Or is it an isolated event, the popularity of which will dwindle shortly? A few people across Goa share their thoughts:
I feel that the wonderful performance by the women’s cricket
team at the biggest stage possible, that too in difficult playing conditions,
outside the continent, will surely set the stage for bigger things to come.
They have delivered a great performance and what they truly need is wider
exposure like their counterparts in other countries get. A tournament like the
IPL for women will give rise to many more deserving women across India to excel
at sports and get the recognition they truly deserve.
ABHIMANYU KASHALKAR.
It was great to see the women’s team in the final, and it would
have been even greater had they won. Women athletes in India have always been
shining (at the Olympics, for example). Sadly, they are only noticed that time,
otherwise they are always treated as children of a lesser God. How many people
actually stood up to notice the women’s cricket time before the tournament
started? If the authorities took women athletes a little more seriously, then
their popularity would have been immense. Let’s hope that with all their achievements, everyone takes them seriously.
SILROY FERNANDES
