Why the step-motherly treatment for women's cricket, BCCI?
Just yesterday, the Indian women's cricket team, in their first international after World Cup final last July, thrashed South Africa by 88 runs in the 1st of 3-match ODI series. Sadly, the match wasn't even broadcast live on TV, giving a clear message on the importance given to women's cricket. Ridding of the tokenism, when only will women's cricket get its due credit?
All the hype was just that?
Indian women's team came home to unprecedented reception, after ending their World Cup campaign as runners-up. There were promises and hopes for betterment of women's cricket, with the likes of Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Harmanpreet Kaur becoming the popular faces of women's cricket in India. This, however, didn't last as is evident with the treatment given to their ongoing tour of South Africa.
Treatment of men vs women's teams touring SA
Cricket boards of neither India nor South Africa thought the ongoing women's SA vs India ODI series deserves a live broadcast. While one can find men's matches highlighted with preview show discussing line-ups and pitch conditions, mid-match show, and a post match analysis, women's match barely got a mention on any media platform, let alone an official update on Twitter.
BCCI passes the buck
In response to the women's match not being shown on TV, a BCCI media representative replied, "BCCI doesn't have the right for the matches that are played outside India." Hello! Is it not the same BCCI that reportedly made South Africa play their Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe? It is rather hard to believe that BCCI's sphere of influence is so limited.
Mithali Raj on broadcasting women's matches
"It is important that we market the sport. Fans do follow it (women's matches) over net, but if it is broadcast, it can make a huge difference for the profile of the game as well as for the players," Mithali Raj said in May'17.
