Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India, and it is the national sport of several countries worldwide. There is no way you’ll mention top entertainment activities in India without listing cricket. Although the most famous memories and associations of the sport are attributed to the men’s game, women’s cricket has gained traction in the past years.
Most people now watch women’s cricket, and even betting sites in India record more bets on women’s cricket than ever. Although it is still not as popular as women’s football, its current pathway portrays a step in the right direction.
This article describes how far women’s cricket has come and how its rise to popularity gradually began.
Brief History of Women’s Cricket Globally
Women’s cricket is not as new in the sports world as you think. The first-ever women’s cricket game was played in 1745 when the communities of Hamblendon Bramley in the UK played against each other. The next notable mention of cricket was in Australia in 1894, when Lily Poulett-Harris developed the first cricket league.
Since then, years went by, and the women’s cricket game continued to develop globally. By 1958, the international women’s cricket council was formed. Its function was to supervise and conduct women’s cricket games in countries worldwide. Those countries were South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the West Indies, England, Netherlands, and Denmark.
As you would expect, these early periods of women’s cricket didn’t garner much attention as they do today. However, they were the cornerstone for creating tournaments like the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
Women’s Cricket: Growth in Popularity
The world of women’s cricket started developing in earnest in 2015 when the Women’s Big Bash League (BBL) was created in Australia. The Twenty20 competition attracted a never witnessed following globally with a huge following, the rise of more stars, and an increased betting interest. Most of its matches were broadcasted live by Seven Network and Fox Cricket in Australia.
However, Australia is far from the only nation making big waves in the world of women’s cricket. Countries like England and India have also shown tremendous growth in sport. India, most especially, has invested in the development of women’s sports, and it has come a long way since the first match was played in 1745.
The most evident proof that women’s cricket had developed was in the 2020 cricket World Cup final. In that game, more than 80,000 fans filled the Melbourne Cricket Ground to see Australia and India face off in the final of the heavyweights.
Australia ended as the deserved winners after the final became the most attended cricket match in the history of women’s cricket. Since then, the clear path for women’s cricket has been permanently opened, and bettors have started studying cricket betting rules for women’s games.
Equal Prize Money in the Finals
After that famous final between Australia and India, the pot price of the next men’s cricket World Cup was equivalent to $1,000,000. This was the same prize money issued to the women’s cricket national team after winning. It marked the first-ever instance where the prize money disparities in men’s and women’s sports were addressed.
However, that wasn’t the end, as it will be further addressed in the prize money for the 50-over format. Here the women will play for $3.5 million in 2022, a big leap compared to the $660,000 they were paid to win in 2017. In comparison to the men’s prize money at $4 million, it is clear that equality is slowly creeping into the cricket space.
As more people follow women’s cricket, it will gain its stance more in India and globally. More teams will be introduced, new players will rise to the limelight, and more tournaments will be organized. This is a great opportunity for bettors as they can now bet on various games.
Think of how much money you can make when you place bets on men’s cricket games. Now, imagine what it would be like when you also have game options in the women’s league. While that will be a lot of money for you, there is no better time to start preparing than now. So start studying the women’s league from its history to where it is now.
Pay close attention to the performance of teams and players every game. When you do this, it becomes easy to know what games and teams to bet on to stand a higher chance of winning.
Conclusion
With such growth now being experienced in the women’s cricket game, it would be surprising to see any real setback now or in the future. Although there’s still a way to go before achieving total equality, this is a welcomed start. However, it is essential for women not to rest on their achievements and continue to fight to keep their rightful place in the cricket scene. The world of cricket is all-encompassing in India and worldwide; women can do it as much as men and even better.
