<p>Senior Indian woman cricketer and ODI captain <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=mithali+raj">Mithali Raj</a> Tuesday lashed out at Committee of Administrators' member Diana Edulji and coach Ramesh Powar, saying a "few people in power are out to destroy me".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Breaking her silence on the omission from the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/womens-t20-2018-semi-final-england-thrash-india-178881">World T20 semi-final against England</a> that raised quite a few eyebrows after India's eight-wicket loss, Mithali alleged that Edulji, who had backed her axing, "used her position against me".</p>

<p>The 35-year-old was dropped despite scoring back-to-back fifties in the group stage of the competition held in the West Indies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For the first time in a 20 year long career, I felt deflated, depressed and let down. I am forced to think if my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence," she wrote in a letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and Cricket Operations GM Saba Karim.</p>

<p>"I would also like to point out that I have nothing against the T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave me out of the eleven was baffling and hurtful.</p>

<p>"I wanted to win the world cup for my country and it hurts me because we lost a golden opportunity."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/like-mithali-i-too-was-dropped-at-my-peak-sourav-ganguly-179341">Like Mithali, I too was dropped at my peak: Sourav Ganguly</a></p>

<p>She slammed Edulji, a former India captain, for defending the team's decision to drop her.</p>

<p>"To put things in perspective, I have always reposed faith in Diana Edulji and have always respected her and her position as a member of the COA, Never did I think she will use her position against me, more after hearing what all I had to go through in the Caribbean as I had spoken to her about it .&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Her brazen support in the press with regard to the decision of my benching in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup has left me deeply distressed, more because she knows the real facts having spoken to me."</p>

<p>On Powar, she narrated a series of instances where she felt slighted by the coach.</p>

<p>"For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when others bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets, if I try to go up to him to talk to start looking into his phone and keep walking.</p>

<p>"It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated. Yet I never lost my cool," she said.</p>


Senior Indian woman cricketer and ODI captain Mithali Raj Tuesday lashed out at Committee of Administrators' member Diana Edulji and coach Ramesh Powar, saying a "few people in power are out to destroy me".

Senior Indian woman cricketer and ODI captain Mithali Raj Tuesday lashed out at Committee of Administrators' member Diana Edulji and coach Ramesh Powar, saying a "few people in power are out to destroy me". Breaking her silence on the omission from the World T20 semi-final against England that raised quite a few eyebrows after India's eight-wicket loss, Mithali alleged that Edulji, who had backed her axing, "used her position against me". The 35-year-old was dropped despite scoring back-to-back fifties in the group stage of the competition held in the West Indies. "For the first time in a 20 year long career, I felt deflated, depressed and let down. I am forced to think if my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence," she wrote in a letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and Cricket Operations GM Saba Karim. "I would also like to point out that I have nothing against the T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave me out of the eleven was baffling and hurtful. "I wanted to win the world cup for my country and it hurts me because we lost a golden opportunity." Also Read: Like Mithali, I too was dropped at my peak: Sourav Ganguly She slammed Edulji, a former India captain, for defending the team's decision to drop her. "To put things in perspective, I have always reposed faith in Diana Edulji and have always respected her and her position as a member of the COA, Never did I think she will use her position against me, more after hearing what all I had to go through in the Caribbean as I had spoken to her about it . "Her brazen support in the press with regard to the decision of my benching in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup has left me deeply distressed, more because she knows the real facts having spoken to me." On Powar, she narrated a series of instances where she felt slighted by the coach. "For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when others bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets, if I try to go up to him to talk to start looking into his phone and keep walking. "It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated. Yet I never lost my cool," she said.

'Few people in power are out to destroy me,' says Mithali Raj

<p>The Indian women's T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and ODI skipper Mithali Raj met top BCCI officials on Monday to air their views on the selection call that has triggered a storm after the team's World T20 semi-final loss to England.</p>

<p>Mithali was left out of the team despite being fit and Kaur had gone on to justify the call even after the humiliating eight-wicket loss on Sunday. Both the senior players along with manager Trupti Bhattacharya met BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim.</p>

<p>"Yes, we (Johri and Karim) met Mithali, Harman and manager Trupti Bhattacharya. All of them met us separately and put across their viewpoints. We have noted everything down," Johri told PTI.</p>

<p>However, he refused to divulge the details of the meeting.</p>

<p>"Please don't ask me what has been discussed during the meeting," Johri said.</p>

<p>It is expected that Johri and Karim will present a detailed report to the CoA which will then assess and, if required, speak to the individuals concerned.</p>

<p>There is speculation that one of the CoA members has spoken to Mithali but it couldn't be independently verified.</p>

<p>Coach Ramesh Powar is expected to meet Johri and Karim on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While this may not exactly be related to the selection fiasco in Antigua but Powar is unlikely to get an extension as his interim contract ends on November 30.</p>

<p>The BCCI will continue with its policy of inviting fresh applications for the coach's position and Powar will also be eligible to apply.</p>

<p>"Even a player of Anil Kumble's stature was asked to re-apply and we don't see a reason why there should be an exception for Powar. Obviously, Ramesh can also apply but a fresh interviews of interested candidates will take place," a senior BCCI official said on condition of anonymity.</p>

<p>A strong possibility exists that Mithali may never play the shortest format for India again and, like her contemporary Jhulan Goswami, only concentrate on 50-over cricket.</p>


The Indian women's T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and ODI skipper Mithali Raj met top BCCI officials on Monday to air their views on the selection call that has triggered a storm after the team's World T20 semi-final loss to England.

The Indian women's T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and ODI skipper Mithali Raj met top BCCI officials on Monday to air their views on the selection call that has triggered a storm after the team's World T20 semi-final loss to England. Mithali was left out of the team despite being fit and Kaur had gone on to justify the call even after the humiliating eight-wicket loss on Sunday. Both the senior players along with manager Trupti Bhattacharya met BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim. "Yes, we (Johri and Karim) met Mithali, Harman and manager Trupti Bhattacharya. All of them met us separately and put across their viewpoints. We have noted everything down," Johri told PTI. However, he refused to divulge the details of the meeting. "Please don't ask me what has been discussed during the meeting," Johri said. It is expected that Johri and Karim will present a detailed report to the CoA which will then assess and, if required, speak to the individuals concerned. There is speculation that one of the CoA members has spoken to Mithali but it couldn't be independently verified. Coach Ramesh Powar is expected to meet Johri and Karim on Wednesday. While this may not exactly be related to the selection fiasco in Antigua but Powar is unlikely to get an extension as his interim contract ends on November 30. The BCCI will continue with its policy of inviting fresh applications for the coach's position and Powar will also be eligible to apply. "Even a player of Anil Kumble's stature was asked to re-apply and we don't see a reason why there should be an exception for Powar. Obviously, Ramesh can also apply but a fresh interviews of interested candidates will take place," a senior BCCI official said on condition of anonymity. A strong possibility exists that Mithali may never play the shortest format for India again and, like her contemporary Jhulan Goswami, only concentrate on 50-over cricket.

Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur meet CEO Johri, GM Karim separately over selection row

<p>Indian Women team won the toss and opted to bat against England Women in the second semi-final of Women's World T20 2018 at Antigua's Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.</p>

<p>In the absence of Mithali Raj, India will look to book a finale berth.</p>

<p>Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the team as Mithali Raj has been dropped in the finale. In a shock decision, the unbeaten Indians have not brought back their all-time record T20 runscorer Raj, instead choosing to retain the same team which defeated Australia in their final group game in Guyana five days earlier.</p>

<p>England also resisted the temptation to alter their side despite going down to the West Indies in a low-scoring encounter in St Lucia last Sunday, their first defeat of the tournament.</p>

<p>The winners will face Australia in the final on Saturday at the same venue after the three-time champions crushed title-holders and hosts West Indies by 71 runs in the first match of the semi-final double-header.</p>

<p><strong>Playing XI:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>England Women: Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Ellen Jones(w), Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight(c), Lauren Winfield, Sophia Dunkley Brown, Anya Shrubsole, Danielle Hazell, Sophie Ecclestone, Kirstie Gordon</p>

<p>India Women: Taniya Bhatia(w), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Dayalan Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Poonam Yadav</p>


Indian Women team won the toss and opted to bat against England Women in the second semi-final of Women's World T20 2018 at Antigua's Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Indian Women team won the toss and opted to bat against England Women in the second semi-final of Women's World T20 2018 at Antigua's Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. In the absence of Mithali Raj, India will look to book a finale berth. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the team as Mithali Raj has been dropped in the finale. In a shock decision, the unbeaten Indians have not brought back their all-time record T20 runscorer Raj, instead choosing to retain the same team which defeated Australia in their final group game in Guyana five days earlier. England also resisted the temptation to alter their side despite going down to the West Indies in a low-scoring encounter in St Lucia last Sunday, their first defeat of the tournament. The winners will face Australia in the final on Saturday at the same venue after the three-time champions crushed title-holders and hosts West Indies by 71 runs in the first match of the semi-final double-header. Playing XI: England Women: Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Ellen Jones(w), Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight(c), Lauren Winfield, Sophia Dunkley Brown, Anya Shrubsole, Danielle Hazell, Sophie Ecclestone, Kirstie Gordon India Women: Taniya Bhatia(w), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Veda Krishnamurthy, Dayalan Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Poonam Yadav

Women's World T20, Semi-Final 2: India opt to bat against England

<p>India are placed fifth while three-time champions Australia lead the 46-team table as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday launched global Women's T20I Team Rankings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ICC's move to launch the women's T20I rankings follows its decision earlier this year to award international status to all T20 matches between member countries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whilst Scotland are the top-ranked associate member in 11th and Thailand take 12th place in the first table, following some good performances of late including a win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup earlier this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-consolidates-top-position-in-test-rankings-171094">Kohli consolidates top position in ICC Test rankings, Windies' Roston Chase moves up</a></p>

<p>All women's T20 matches between members have international status since the Asia Cup in June and the new rankings system will help teams gauge where they stand in the shortest format of the game, said an ICC release.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The teams will have to play six T20I matches in the previous three to four years to remain on the rankings table.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The system moves away from the combined rankings in place earlier and there is now a separate ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings table with 10 teams, in line with the men's rankings, which are separate for each format.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">↗️ There's a new No.1 on both the T20I batting and all-rounders charts!<br />
<br />
See who's challenging for the top spots after the latest update on the <a href="https://twitter.com/MRFWorldwide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MRFWorldwide</a> ICC Women's T20I Rankings!<br />
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<p>"We are committed to growing the game and T20 is the vehicle through which we'll do this. Global rankings and international status for all T20 games between members is a huge step forward and will contribute to our efforts to accelerate the growth of the women's game," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The new rankings will provide incentive for teams to play regularly and mark their progress globally. I wish teams all the best."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Australia, who were top-ranked in the combined rankings system, are now ranked number one in both forms of the game and lead Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by three points in the T20I rankings table.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Australia are on 280 points, New Zealand on 277 while England are just a further one point behind with 276 points.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Australia, will however, have to win their upcoming three-match T20I series from October 25 to 29 against Pakistan in Malaysia by a 3-0 margin to retain their top spot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan will be unable to overtake sixth-ranked South Africa even if they were to pull off a shock 3-0 win.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The West Indies, who will defend their ICC Women's World T20 title at home from November 9 to 24, are ranked fourth with 259 points and India are a further 10 points behind in fifth place.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The next five teams on the table -- South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Ireland -- complete the lineup for the West Indies event.</p>

<p>The list includes nine sides from Europe, 14 from Asia, 13 from Africa, four each from East Asia Pacific and the Americas, apart from Australia and the West Indies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India captain Harmanpreet Kaur welcomed the move.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I'm sure these rankings will encourage more countries to play the game regularly and teams will get a good idea of where they stand in the global context. Players always take interest in the ICC rankings as they are a true reflection of where teams and players stand," she said.</p>


India are placed fifth while three-time champions Australia lead the 46-team table as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday launched global Women's T20I Team Rankings.

India are placed fifth while three-time champions Australia lead the 46-team table as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday launched global Women's T20I Team Rankings. The ICC's move to launch the women's T20I rankings follows its decision earlier this year to award international status to all T20 matches between member countries. Whilst Scotland are the top-ranked associate member in 11th and Thailand take 12th place in the first table, following some good performances of late including a win over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup earlier this year. Kohli consolidates top position in ICC Test rankings, Windies' Roston Chase moves up All women's T20 matches between members have international status since the Asia Cup in June and the new rankings system will help teams gauge where they stand in the shortest format of the game, said an ICC release. The teams will have to play six T20I matches in the previous three to four years to remain on the rankings table. The system moves away from the combined rankings in place earlier and there is now a separate ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings table with 10 teams, in line with the men's rankings, which are separate for each format. ↗️ There's a new No.1 on both the T20I batting and all-rounders charts! See who's challenging for the top spots after the latest update on the @MRFWorldwide ICC Women's T20I Rankings! ➡️ https://t.co/SR1Sqy6FUl pic.twitter.com/YtnQkApLD9 — ICC (@ICC) October 12, 2018 × "We are committed to growing the game and T20 is the vehicle through which we'll do this. Global rankings and international status for all T20 games between members is a huge step forward and will contribute to our efforts to accelerate the growth of the women's game," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a statement. "The new rankings will provide incentive for teams to play regularly and mark their progress globally. I wish teams all the best." Australia, who were top-ranked in the combined rankings system, are now ranked number one in both forms of the game and lead Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by three points in the T20I rankings table. Australia are on 280 points, New Zealand on 277 while England are just a further one point behind with 276 points. Australia, will however, have to win their upcoming three-match T20I series from October 25 to 29 against Pakistan in Malaysia by a 3-0 margin to retain their top spot. Pakistan will be unable to overtake sixth-ranked South Africa even if they were to pull off a shock 3-0 win. The West Indies, who will defend their ICC Women's World T20 title at home from November 9 to 24, are ranked fourth with 259 points and India are a further 10 points behind in fifth place. The next five teams on the table -- South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Ireland -- complete the lineup for the West Indies event. The list includes nine sides from Europe, 14 from Asia, 13 from Africa, four each from East Asia Pacific and the Americas, apart from Australia and the West Indies. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur welcomed the move. "I'm sure these rankings will encourage more countries to play the game regularly and teams will get a good idea of where they stand in the global context. Players always take interest in the ICC rankings as they are a true reflection of where teams and players stand," she said.

India ranked 5th as ICC launches global women's T20I team rankings

<p>The Indian women cricket team is on a roll. Their limited-overs tour to South Africa has been one of their most successful ones in recent times. After defeating the hosts 2-1 in the ODI series under Mithali Raj&rsquo;s captaincy, they now have an unassailable 2-1 lead in the T20Is as well. With the fifth and last game of the T20I series set to be played today at Newlands, Cape Town, India now stands a rare chance of double limited-overs whammy on this high-profile tour. Clinching the T20Is series would ensure that their tour ends on a complete successful note.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India has been thoroughly dominant in their performances here and barring a couple of occasions have looked like a well-balanced side. However, there are some causes of worry that captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls would like to address before the final T20I. After winning the first two games comfortably, they let the intensity dip and have not been up to their standards. The inclusion of bowlers Rumeli Dhar and Deepti Sharma in the last game, seen as a measure to strengthen their bowling unit, hasn&rsquo;t really paid rich dividends. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who was so successful in the ODI series, has been rather expensive in the two games she has played and has gone at an expensive economy rate of 8.50. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Clearly, India&rsquo;s spin bowling department is a cause for concern and that is something that the team management would need to work on before the Women&#39;s World T20 in November in West Indies.</p>

<p>Another issue that needs to be worked on is India&rsquo;s lower order which hasn&rsquo;t been able to contribute successfully. They have failed to capitalize on the robust starts provided by the Indian top-order, who has been in sensational form. The lower order has not been tested enough and in the third ODI India lost their last five wickets for nine runs.</p>

<p>The wicket at Cape Town for the final T20I is likely to be a high-scoring one and the Indian team would be banking on their batswomen to bail them through again. Star batswoman Mithali Raj and opener Smriti Mandhana have been India&rsquo;s top two run-getters of the series and would continue to provide India with solid starts. They would also seek solid contributions from Veda Krishnamurthy, who was excellent in the ODI series, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.</p>

<p>And since South Africa has been handling India&rsquo;s spinners rather well, perhaps the inclusion of another pacer, Shikha Pandey, would not be a bad idea as well.</p>

<p>The T20I series in South Africa was an important one for the Indian women&rsquo;s team. With the World T20 just a few months away now, they need to look at their best possible combinations. They have been poor in the format and have suffered first-round exits in each of the last three editions of the World T20. This time, however, they have the team to make a difference and their performance in the first two T20Is against South Africa in this series certainly reflects that.</p>

<p>This final T20I against South Africa is hence of immense significance to India. Last year, the Indian women&rsquo;s team had made the nation proud by reaching the finals of the 50-over World Cup in England in emphatic fashion. The sport has gained a lot of attention and momentum in the country post the success of the World Cup and a win here would not only mean a successful T20I series victory against a top side away from home but will also hold Team India in good stead for the challenge of the World T20 later this year and will come as another shot in the arm for women&rsquo;s cricket in India.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


Indian women cricketers look to round off successful tour to South Africa with T20I series win. However, lower order and spinners need to be sorted before Women's World T20 in November in West Indies arrives.

The Indian women cricket team is on a roll. Their limited-overs tour to South Africa has been one of their most successful ones in recent times. After defeating the hosts 2-1 in the ODI series under Mithali Raj’s captaincy, they now have an unassailable 2-1 lead in the T20Is as well. With the fifth and last game of the T20I series set to be played today at Newlands, Cape Town, India now stands a rare chance of double limited-overs whammy on this high-profile tour. Clinching the T20Is series would ensure that their tour ends on a complete successful note. India has been thoroughly dominant in their performances here and barring a couple of occasions have looked like a well-balanced side. However, there are some causes of worry that captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls would like to address before the final T20I. After winning the first two games comfortably, they let the intensity dip and have not been up to their standards. The inclusion of bowlers Rumeli Dhar and Deepti Sharma in the last game, seen as a measure to strengthen their bowling unit, hasn’t really paid rich dividends. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who was so successful in the ODI series, has been rather expensive in the two games she has played and has gone at an expensive economy rate of 8.50. Clearly, India’s spin bowling department is a cause for concern and that is something that the team management would need to work on before the Women's World T20 in November in West Indies. Another issue that needs to be worked on is India’s lower order which hasn’t been able to contribute successfully. They have failed to capitalize on the robust starts provided by the Indian top-order, who has been in sensational form. The lower order has not been tested enough and in the third ODI India lost their last five wickets for nine runs. The wicket at Cape Town for the final T20I is likely to be a high-scoring one and the Indian team would be banking on their batswomen to bail them through again. Star batswoman Mithali Raj and opener Smriti Mandhana have been India’s top two run-getters of the series and would continue to provide India with solid starts. They would also seek solid contributions from Veda Krishnamurthy, who was excellent in the ODI series, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. And since South Africa has been handling India’s spinners rather well, perhaps the inclusion of another pacer, Shikha Pandey, would not be a bad idea as well. The T20I series in South Africa was an important one for the Indian women’s team. With the World T20 just a few months away now, they need to look at their best possible combinations. They have been poor in the format and have suffered first-round exits in each of the last three editions of the World T20. This time, however, they have the team to make a difference and their performance in the first two T20Is against South Africa in this series certainly reflects that. This final T20I against South Africa is hence of immense significance to India. Last year, the Indian women’s team had made the nation proud by reaching the finals of the 50-over World Cup in England in emphatic fashion. The sport has gained a lot of attention and momentum in the country post the success of the World Cup and a win here would not only mean a successful T20I series victory against a top side away from home but will also hold Team India in good stead for the challenge of the World T20 later this year and will come as another shot in the arm for women’s cricket in India. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Indian bats-women Mithali Raj again a star in South Africa T20I, but what about lower order?

<p>One newspaper headlined the women&#39;s cricket World Cup title match thus, &#39;Nine runs short of history&#39;. Perhaps the headline missed the irony trapped in its own supposition - that these women were trying to write &#39;his-story&#39;. What it elided was something much much bigger &ndash; which is, &#39;her-story&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yes, it was cricket that did it for the women in blue. After all, cricket is the reigning catalyst of this nation&#39;s imagination. Cricketing fervour makes a visceral connection with the country&#39;s deepest cultural resources, bringing out in the process its best, and its worst. But while what happened yesterday at Lord&rsquo;s was cricket, it was also way more than cricket.</p>

<p>Moments of exuberance stimulate the imagination. Accolades are being heaped on the Mitali Raj-led Indian women&rsquo;s cricket team. The Prime Minister tweeted in his congratulations. Diehard fans have exclaimed, &ldquo;Ufff, if only!&rdquo; To me, however, the most fetching comment was the one aired on TV much before the final match was played. It came from a Haryana farmer, when asked what he thought about the women&rsquo;s cricket team, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll put my daughters through college or even support them if they wish to play cricket. My sons can take to the fields. They are good for that (only)!&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>I&rsquo;ll put my daughters through college or even support them if they wish to play cricket. My sons can take to the fields. They are good for that (only)!</h5>
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<p>So here are two critical questions: &ldquo;Is this a moment of disruption for the choices women can make about themselves and their lives?&rdquo; And, &ldquo;Is this also a moment that recasts the way women are perceived by society (read patriarchy)?&rdquo;</p>

<p>Small disruptions have stirred the imagination in the past. In &lsquo;Chak de India&rsquo;, a woman hockey player has a hot shot national-level cricketer as a boyfriend, who her friends in the team swoon over. There is this moment where he disparages her game, patronising women&rsquo;s hockey as the &lsquo;not real&rsquo; thing. The woman player drops him then and there, just like that. &lsquo;Dangal&rsquo; has this moment where a young bride tells her friend Geeta (the lead protagonist of the movie, who&rsquo;s not at that point happy about being pushed into wrestling by her father) that she got it wrong about missing all this wedding finery, that at least her father has given her a purpose beyond the limited and narrow choices available to women. Captain Mitali Raj has added to this string of disruptions. When asked who her favourite male cricketer was, pat came her reply: &ldquo;Do you ask male cricketers about their favourite female cricketer?&rdquo; Another time in an interview she was asked about her favourite &lsquo;assessory&rsquo;. Guess what she said? &ldquo;Kindle!&rdquo;</p>

<p>These moments of disruption do not add up to a consensus on women&rsquo;s emancipation; they only show the way. Which is why I am almost glad we lost the final by nine runs. To have almost made it but not quite is a more apposite outcome. Otherwise, by now, we&rsquo;d have gone wild, waiting at the airport with garlands and cut-outs, naming these cricketers after our goddesses. We are almost there but not quite.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Otherwise, by now, we&rsquo;d have gone wild, waiting at the airport with garlands and cut-outs, naming these cricketers after our goddesses</h5>
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<p>To deify women is not same as respecting them. True, we deify our male cricketers. But then most Indian men are deified in their homes too. That&rsquo;s exactly what Madhuri Dixit tries to debunk when she says to her screen husband while resisting his domineering belief system in the path breaking Prakash Jha movie, &lsquo;Mrityudana&rsquo; (Death Sentence), &ldquo;Pati hai, pati bane rahiye. Parmeshwar banne ki koshis mat kijiye.&rdquo; (You are my husband, stay that way. Don&rsquo;t try and play God). &nbsp;</p>

<p>For society to change its attitude towards women and to view them as free subjects, we need to step back from the exuberance of the moment and reassess our attitude towards women. We need to find the courage to see a Harmanpreet in our daughters, and not merely as a cutout. We need to recognise that while the Jadejas of the world grew up in rough neighbourhoods just like perhaps the Harmanpreets, there is a difference. When Jadeja was playing gully cricket, his parents believed it was the things boys do. The Harmanpreets, on the other hand, were told to play &lsquo;stapu&rsquo; (hopscotch), not allowed to wield the cricket bat. The Jadejas of the world would have kept the Harmanpreets at bay. No fault of the Jadejas, but that is the way patriarchy works. It hardwires the edifice of injustice into the minds of people, young and old, men and women, pracharak and pastor.</p>

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<h5>Maybe it will get our girls out of their homes and onto the gully. And from the gully to the ground. And from the ground to their own.</h5>
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<p>The Mirzas, Nehwals and Sidhus have carved out careers that reflect their individual brilliance. But to see women succeed in a team game is something else. To see the cricket team strive before the world stage and play with such pluck and skill is to recognise their individual struggles of courage. As a society, we need to engage with these stories and read them into the script we evolve for our girls and our women. This narrative won&rsquo;t be forged into shape with one World Cup. It has to be coded into our DNA. And it&rsquo;s about much more than a game. It is about identity. Women must be recognised for what they do and not who they are. This requires a paradigm shift in our thinking as a society.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s good therefore that we lost the final. The next four years will be about doing better in 2021 World Cup. The Jhulans and Rajs of the world had to fight hard to be recognised as players (Diana Edulgee anybody?), but the younger lot have had their moment in the sun. I would not be surprised with an IPL (W) taking shape. The game of cricket does strange things to India. Maybe it will get our girls out of their homes and onto the gully. And from the gully to the ground. And from the ground to their own. We may have lost the final. But what finally emerges from this World Cup experience might transform into a greater victory. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Yes. Otherwise, by now, we?d have gone wild, waiting at the airport with garlands and cut-outs, naming these cricketers after our goddesses.

One newspaper headlined the women's cricket World Cup title match thus, 'Nine runs short of history'. Perhaps the headline missed the irony trapped in its own supposition - that these women were trying to write 'his-story'. What it elided was something much much bigger – which is, 'her-story'. Yes, it was cricket that did it for the women in blue. After all, cricket is the reigning catalyst of this nation's imagination. Cricketing fervour makes a visceral connection with the country's deepest cultural resources, bringing out in the process its best, and its worst. But while what happened yesterday at Lord’s was cricket, it was also way more than cricket. Moments of exuberance stimulate the imagination. Accolades are being heaped on the Mitali Raj-led Indian women’s cricket team. The Prime Minister tweeted in his congratulations. Diehard fans have exclaimed, “Ufff, if only!” To me, however, the most fetching comment was the one aired on TV much before the final match was played. It came from a Haryana farmer, when asked what he thought about the women’s cricket team, “I’ll put my daughters through college or even support them if they wish to play cricket. My sons can take to the fields. They are good for that (only)!” I’ll put my daughters through college or even support them if they wish to play cricket. My sons can take to the fields. They are good for that (only)! × So here are two critical questions: “Is this a moment of disruption for the choices women can make about themselves and their lives?” And, “Is this also a moment that recasts the way women are perceived by society (read patriarchy)?” Small disruptions have stirred the imagination in the past. In ‘Chak de India’, a woman hockey player has a hot shot national-level cricketer as a boyfriend, who her friends in the team swoon over. There is this moment where he disparages her game, patronising women’s hockey as the ‘not real’ thing. The woman player drops him then and there, just like that. ‘Dangal’ has this moment where a young bride tells her friend Geeta (the lead protagonist of the movie, who’s not at that point happy about being pushed into wrestling by her father) that she got it wrong about missing all this wedding finery, that at least her father has given her a purpose beyond the limited and narrow choices available to women. Captain Mitali Raj has added to this string of disruptions. When asked who her favourite male cricketer was, pat came her reply: “Do you ask male cricketers about their favourite female cricketer?” Another time in an interview she was asked about her favourite ‘assessory’. Guess what she said? “Kindle!” These moments of disruption do not add up to a consensus on women’s emancipation; they only show the way. Which is why I am almost glad we lost the final by nine runs. To have almost made it but not quite is a more apposite outcome. Otherwise, by now, we’d have gone wild, waiting at the airport with garlands and cut-outs, naming these cricketers after our goddesses. We are almost there but not quite. Otherwise, by now, we’d have gone wild, waiting at the airport with garlands and cut-outs, naming these cricketers after our goddesses × To deify women is not same as respecting them. True, we deify our male cricketers. But then most Indian men are deified in their homes too. That’s exactly what Madhuri Dixit tries to debunk when she says to her screen husband while resisting his domineering belief system in the path breaking Prakash Jha movie, ‘Mrityudana’ (Death Sentence), “Pati hai, pati bane rahiye. Parmeshwar banne ki koshis mat kijiye.” (You are my husband, stay that way. Don’t try and play God). For society to change its attitude towards women and to view them as free subjects, we need to step back from the exuberance of the moment and reassess our attitude towards women. We need to find the courage to see a Harmanpreet in our daughters, and not merely as a cutout. We need to recognise that while the Jadejas of the world grew up in rough neighbourhoods just like perhaps the Harmanpreets, there is a difference. When Jadeja was playing gully cricket, his parents believed it was the things boys do. The Harmanpreets, on the other hand, were told to play ‘stapu’ (hopscotch), not allowed to wield the cricket bat. The Jadejas of the world would have kept the Harmanpreets at bay. No fault of the Jadejas, but that is the way patriarchy works. It hardwires the edifice of injustice into the minds of people, young and old, men and women, pracharak and pastor. Maybe it will get our girls out of their homes and onto the gully. And from the gully to the ground. And from the ground to their own. × The Mirzas, Nehwals and Sidhus have carved out careers that reflect their individual brilliance. But to see women succeed in a team game is something else. To see the cricket team strive before the world stage and play with such pluck and skill is to recognise their individual struggles of courage. As a society, we need to engage with these stories and read them into the script we evolve for our girls and our women. This narrative won’t be forged into shape with one World Cup. It has to be coded into our DNA. And it’s about much more than a game. It is about identity. Women must be recognised for what they do and not who they are. This requires a paradigm shift in our thinking as a society. It’s good therefore that we lost the final. The next four years will be about doing better in 2021 World Cup. The Jhulans and Rajs of the world had to fight hard to be recognised as players (Diana Edulgee anybody?), but the younger lot have had their moment in the sun. I would not be surprised with an IPL (W) taking shape. The game of cricket does strange things to India. Maybe it will get our girls out of their homes and onto the gully. And from the gully to the ground. And from the ground to their own. We may have lost the final. But what finally emerges from this World Cup experience might transform into a greater victory.

Is it good that India's women cricket team lost the final?

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