Women’s cricket in India has witnessed significant growth, with participation doubling across 14 states since 2020, according to a study commissioned by the BBC and Collective Newsroom.
The survey, which included responses from more than 10,000 women, found that the proportion of women who say they play cricket has increased from five per cent in 2020 to 10 per cent currently. Participation among younger women has grown even faster, with 16 per cent of those aged between 15 and 24 reporting that they play cricket, compared to six per cent in 2020.
“The research also finds that one in four young women aged 15 to 24 have considered sport as a career option,” the report noted. The India women's national cricket team has enjoyed notable success recently, including winning its maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup title and defeating Australia women's national cricket team in a bilateral three-match Women's Twenty20 International series for the first time in a decade. Such achievements may also be contributing to the sport’s increasing popularity.
Also read: Abhishek continues to top T20I rankings, Ishan follows
Cricket has now overtaken the traditional sport Kabaddi—long popular in India’s rural regions—by a wide margin. “Cricket has also strengthened its position as the most played sport among women in the states surveyed. In 2020 it only narrowly edged past kabaddi, but the latest figures suggest it is now clearly ahead,” the study said.
Participation has risen across most regions, with all but two of the surveyed states reporting an increase in the number of women playing cricket. In Uttar Pradesh, participation has grown tenfold—from one per cent to 10 per cent. The gender gap in cricket participation has also narrowed across the surveyed states.
According to the study, for every woman who plays cricket today, there are three men participating in the sport, compared to a ratio of one to five in 2020.
In terms of career aspirations, 26 per cent of women aged 15 to 24 said they had considered pursuing a career in sports, up from 16 per cent in 2020. The highest levels of interest were recorded in Tamil Nadu (27 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (19 per cent), and Meghalaya (19 per cent), the report said.
The study also observed a rise in women’s participation in Badminton, particularly in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. However, the report noted that more women could be encouraged to take up sports if safety concerns were adequately addressed. “About 13 per cent of women who do not participate in any sport cite safety concerns as a key barrier,” it said.
Follow us
