Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has responded to the accusations that under him women’s cricket has continued to languish. While the men’s team has played a significant amount of cricket since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the women’s team has not taken part in a lot of tournaments.
From IPL 2020 to the Australia tour followed by the England series and IPL 2021, men’s cricket has been BCCI’s focus during the pandemic. Thus the fans have often blasted the board for not prioritising the women’s game. Reacting to the accusations, Ganguly said it has been difficult for the board to host tournaments with COVID-19 wreaking havoc across the country.
He also pointed out that along with men’s IPL, the women’s IPL was also staged last year followed by the South Africa women’s tour of India.
“What to do? We have been living with this deadly virus. Other than the men’s cricket, we had the women’s IPL. South Africa women played here,” Ganguly said in an interview with Sportstar.
Talking about the upcoming busy schedule of the Indian women’s cricketer, Ganguly said there will be a lot of women’s cricket happening despite the pandemic. The India women’s team will be playing Test cricket after eight years, in a series against England. The England tour will be followed by series against New Zealand.
“Our women are going to play Test cricket after eight years. They play a Test in Bristol and six ODIs and T20Is. Would you still accuse me of not supporting women’s cricket? West Indies will come and play in India. There is a lot of women’s cricket happening. We had to cancel the women’s IPL and schedule it for September-October,” said Ganguly.
“Now the women’s team is leaving for England on June 2. They have a lot of cricket there. They have got England, Australia. Then South Africa comes here. Some of them are playing 100-ball cricket in England. Some are playing the Big Bash in Australia. Then they go to New Zealand for a series, and then they play the World Cup,” he added.
Besides the international assignments, India women’s team stars will also be involved in The Hundred in England and the Big Bash League in Australia this year.
