By Wisden India Staff
The Board of Control for Cricket in India have finally opened the doors for India’s female cricketers to participate in overseas leagues in Australia and England.
The women’s cricket committee decided during their meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday (June 1) that the country’s cricketers would be permitted to participate in the Women’s Big Bash League and the proposed Kia Super League “subject to contracts being offered by cricket boards through BCCI”, the board announced on their website on Thursday.
The BCCI, intending for the Indian Premier League to remain the premier T20 tournament, have denied their players permission to participate in T20 competitions around the world. The unstated policy was extended to their female cricketers as well, despite there being no comparable domestic T20 league for them. India’s women players missed out on the inaugural WBBL last December with the official reason being that it clashed with domestic matches. They weren’t among the squads announced for July-August’s KSL either, with the England and Wales Cricket Board claiming they had received no response to their invitation to the BCCI.
However, India’s disappointing performance in the ICC Women’s World T20 2016 at home, which they entered as one of the favourites, might have triggered a board re-think. West Indies’ title-winners, as well as members of New Zealand and South Africa, all stressed on the benefits of the WBBL in improving their big-match preparation.
“The experience of interacting with international stars and seniors would definitely help Indian players in international games,” Smriti Mandhana told Wisden India, hailing the decision.
The women’s committee also promised a long-term plan for women’s cricket through a proposed “vision document”, that would include inputs on the appointment of support staff for the Indian team.
In addition, there was an emphasis on age-group cricket, with an Under-23 camp to be organised at the NCA and zonal leagues proposed for Under-16s.
“I got selected through age-group cricket,” said Mandhana, 19, who struck her maiden One-Day International century in Australia earlier this year. “A camp will give youngsters experience of playing at the NCA, they’ll hone their skill and learn to be play as a group. They’ll be more comfortable making the step up.”
First published on Wisden India.