Under Harmanpreet Kaur–Smriti Mandhana Leadership, More Indian Women Take Up Cricket

The era of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana in Indian women’s cricket appears to be driving change beyond the field.

With participation in the sport doubling across 14 states since 2020, according to a study commissioned by the BBC and Collective Newsroom.

The survey, which covered more than 10,000 women, found that the proportion of women who say they play cricket has risen from five per cent in 2020 to 10 per cent today. Participation among younger women has grown even faster. Around 16 per cent of women aged 15 to 24 now say they play cricket, compared with 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 study said.

Golden Period for Indian Women’s Cricket

The rise in participation coincides with a successful phase for the Indian women’s team. Recently, India won its maiden Women’s Cricket World Cup title and also defeated Australia women’s national cricket team in a bilateral three-match T20I series for the first time in a decade.

Cricket has also strengthened its lead as the most played sport among women in the states surveyed, moving clearly ahead of Kabaddi. In 2020, cricket had only narrowly surpassed kabaddi, but the new figures suggest the gap has widened significantly.

Participation has increased across most regions, with all but two of the surveyed states reporting growth in the number of women playing cricket. Uttar Pradesh recorded the sharpest rise, with participation levels jumping tenfold—from one per cent in 2020 to 10 per cent now.

Gender Gap Narrowing

The gender gap in cricket participation has also narrowed. The study found that for every woman who plays cricket, three men now play the sport, compared with a ratio of one to five in 2020.

Interest in pursuing sport as a career is also rising among young women. About 26 per cent of women aged 15 to 24 said they had considered a career in sport, 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 study also highlighted growing participation in Badminton among women, particularly in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. However, safety concerns remain a barrier for many women who want to take up sport. Around 13 per cent of women who do not play any sport cited safety concerns as a reason.

Rupa Jha, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Collective Newsroom, said the findings highlight both progress and continuing challenges. “The findings show both progress and continuing barriers. While participation and viewership are rising fast, stereotypes and practical challenges remain.

“We hope this data will prompt further discussion and action to support women athletes.”