The silent sponsor: How Mandira Bedi, former cricket presenter helped save Indian women's cricket

Long before the Indian women’s cricket team lifted their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup trophy in 2025, their journey was one of struggle, hardships and sheer passion. Hidden behind that triumphant moment is a story few know — of an actress and television presenter who became an unlikely saviour when no one else stood by the Women in Blue. That woman was Mandira Bedi — a name synonymous with breaking barriers in both entertainment and cricket broadcasting. Known for bringing glamour and energy to live cricket shows in the early 2000s, Mandira did something off-camera that changed the course of Indian women’s cricket forever.

When women’s cricket struggled to survive

Before 2006, the Indian women’s cricket team was not under the BCCI’s wing. It was managed by the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI), a body that often struggled for basic funding. Players like Anjum Chopra, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami played purely for love of the game — often without salaries, proper travel, or even accommodation on tours. The situation hit rock bottom in 2003, when the team couldn’t afford airfare for a series in England. With no sponsors and little media attention, it seemed the tour would be cancelled. That’s when Mandira Bedi quietly stepped in.

Mandira Bedi’s silent sponsorship

While shooting an advertisement for Asmi Jewellery, Mandira learned about the women’s team’s situation. Without hesitation, she donated her entire endorsement fee from the campaign to the WCAI — enough to fund the team’s air tickets to England.

“She shot a commercial for a famous diamond brand and gave the entire fee to help the girls travel,” Nutan Gavaskar, former WCAI secretary and sister of cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying. “That money helped us arrange air tickets for India’s tour of England.”

It wasn’t a one-time gesture. Between 2003 and 2005, Mandira used her connections in the industry to raise funds, convince brands to sponsor women’s cricket, and ensure the players could continue competing internationally. She even helped bring Asmi Jewellery on board as a sponsor for the team’s 2004 series against the West Indies — an example of advocacy and action.

At a time when women’s cricket barely made headlines, Mandira’s involvement gave the sport credibility in the public eye. Her presence as one of the first female cricket anchors in India had already challenged stereotypes — now, her behind-the-scenes support helped keep the women’s game alive. “She didn’t do it for fame or publicity,” Nutan Gavaskar was quoted as saying in an interview. “Mandira never talked about her contribution. She simply wanted the girls to play.”

Mandira’s actions came from a place of empathy. She knew what it meant to break into a male-dominated arena and face skepticism. Her silent generosity gave Indian women’s cricket the breath it needed before the BCCI finally took over in 2006. Years later, when the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team lifted the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2025, Mandira expressed her pride through a simple Instagram caption: “You didn’t play for a nation — you moved it.” It was a fitting tribute from the woman who, two decades earlier, had moved mountains so that India’s women could play at all.

Mandira Bedi wasn’t just a broadcaster or a celebrity — she was a silent patron, a pillar of strength, and a true unsung hero of the Indian women’s cricket.