Women's Cricket On Cusp Of Its Watershed Moment: Tendulkar

Dubai – The great Sachin Tendulkar is expecting the ODI World Cup, beginning in India on Tuesday, to provide a watershed moment for women's cricket in the country.

The sport had got a massive shot in the arm when Indian women reached the final of the 2017 edition in England. However, a global trophy still eludes India and Tendulkar feels that it can change with Harmanpreet Kaur and Co chasing that ultimate goal at home.

“I sense that women's cricket in India stands on the cusp of its own watershed moment. The upcoming ICC Women's World Cup will not just be about chasing a trophy; it will be about igniting countless dreams,” Tendulkar wrote in an ICC column.

“Somewhere in Moga, a teenage girl might be clutching her bat tighter, hoping to emulate her idol Harmanpreet Kaur. In Sangli, another girl might be practicing her drives, daring to dream like Smriti Mandhana.”

Harmanpreet had gained national attention with her breathtaking 171 against Australia in the semifinal of the 2017 edition. That knock remains fresh even in Tendulkar's memory.

“I still remember vividly Harmanpreet's magnificent 171 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup. It was not just an innings; it was a statement. The sheer audacity of her strokeplay, the clarity of her mind, and the courage in her heart took women's cricket in India into a new orbit.

“I believe that was the moment when many stopped seeing women's cricket as a sideshow-it became centre stage.”

He is also hugely impressed by elegant left-hander Mandhana.

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