Players, coaches and supporters have all forecast that this year’s Women’s World Cup could create a seismic shift in the sport.
Prize-money is significantly higher, players have become genuine stars in the robust Indian cricket market, and — driven by the establishment of franchise leagues — the quality of cricket is expected to be better than at any stage since the inaugural World Cup in 1972.
However, excitement is also tempered by the political cloud created by the collapse of diplomatic relations between one of the host nations, India, and its neighbour Pakistan, and the internal politicking of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Because of the latter, only one of the five grounds being used for the tournament has actually hosted matches in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the biggest franchise competition in the women’s game.
The WPL has driven the popularity of the sport in India, and made the likes of Australian legend Ellyse Perry, Indian opener Smriti Mandhana, and SA’s skipper Laura Wolvaardt bona fide stars.
Proteas opener
The foundation those players have helped build for women’s cricket, through the WPL, is not being taken advantage of by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as it hosts an ODI World Cup in the subcontinent for the first time in 12 years. Instead. the BCCI — the sport’s most powerful administrative body — is sending matches to far-flung places like Guwahati, where the Proteas will play their opener against England on Friday.
Meanwhile, the location for the final is yet to be decided, because India and Pakistan are no longer on speaking terms. Therefore, India face Pakistan in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on October 5. Pakistan has refused to play in India, thus the rest of the teams must also travel to Colombo, which could host the final should Pakistan reach it. If not, the final will be played in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, the World Cup provides the chance to showcase the enormous strides the women’s game has made in the last five years. It is no longer a nudge, nurdle, flick or glance game with the bat, or one with bowlers who deliver gentle seam up and slow looping spinners.
India’s Shafali Verma, South Africa’s Chloe Tryon, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield all mix power and — especially in Litchfield’s case — creativity at the crease. “You will see a 19-year-old in the Australian team playing shots that I haven’t even worked on, it’s the same with England and India,” said Wolvaardt.
The Australian leg-spinner Alana King bowls Shane Warne-like leg-breaks, Deepti Sharma of India is crafty, and the No 1 bowler in ODIs, England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, actually comes into the tournament with a point to prove after last summer’s acrimonious tour to Australia.
Prevalent athleticism
Perry, who is preparing to play her fifth World Cup, highlighted the athleticism which is more prevalent these days but which, importantly, has been allied with a more aggressive mindset among the players.
“We’ve made a really conscious shift towards wanting to take the game on from the very start, and probably keep our foot down for as long as we can. Obviously, you’ve got to adapt to conditions and certain circumstances, but it just feels like there’s a real ethos within the group to make sure we can utilise everyone’s talent on the day,” she said.
What of South Africa?
In Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and the in-form Tazmin Brits, they have the kind of players that should drive them to a semifinal spot at least.
The likes of Nonkululeko Mlaba should find conditions to her liking, and Ayabonga Khaka with the new ball and at the death is proving increasingly potent of late. Annerie Dercksen may become the next breakout global star from this country if she can combine the power she has displayed with the bat, to more consistency with the ball.
This year, total prize-money for the competition is $13.8m (R240m), with the winners pocketing almost $4.5m, a sum that is more than double total prize-money offered in Wolvaardt’s first World Cup in 2017.
Those figures illustrate just how much the women’s game has changed and its more elevated status. A World Cup in India will only see that advanced further. Said England’s captain Sciver-Brunt: “I think we’ll all look back on our careers when we’re retired and mark the World Cup in India as a game-changer.”
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