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2017 Women’s WC drastically changed things for women cricket in India: Punam Raut

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3 years ago

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The 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup held in England changed things drastically for women’s cricket in India, says veteran batter Punam Raut, who played a crucial knock of 85 runs in the final match of that tournament.

Chasing the target of 229 runs in the final, India were going strong but collapsed from 191/3 to be bowled out for 219, losing the match by just nine runs. Though India lost that dramatic final, things changed for the women’s cricket in the country after that.

“We did very well in the 2017 World Cup in England and from there on, things changed drastically for women’s cricket in India. Our matches started getting broadcasted and had good media coverage and even parents became more accepting about girls playing cricket,” Raut told IANS in an exclusive interview.

“Earlier, parents used to complain but now they motivate girls to play cricket and even many ask me about the different levels of women’s cricket and the whole process of getting selected. As a whole, society has changed, more women’s matches are being played and new exciting talents are coming through,” she added.

After playing international cricket for around a decade, Punam believes that women’s sport in India has changed a lot compared to the time she started.

“A lot of things have improved for good. When I started playing, there was no regular broadcast of our matches, and people used to know only one or two female cricketers but now fans follow most of the Indian women’s cricket matches and are aware of others as well,” she said.

“Now we have a decent domestic structure and a fair amount of international matches are played in a season. Though the number of matches we play is less compared to men, it is better than what it was. Young players are getting exposure on ‘A’ team’s tours and by playing in foreign leagues as well,” she added.

There has been a growing chorus for organising a full-fledged women IPL and the experienced campaigner also feels that a five or six-team league is the need of the hour.

“Yes, I am very optimistic about the Women’s IPL. The league will help the Indian women’s cricket team in getting fearless and readymade players as we now see with the men’s team. Youngsters will get the chance to rub shoulders with legends of the game from different countries and it will help them in honing their skills,” the batter said.

“It will also serve as a platform for players, who have been dropped from the Indian team, to prove themselves and make a comeback,” she added.

The 32-year old also dismissed the ‘lack of talent’ arguments, saying that there is no dearth of talent in the Indian women’s cricket set-up.

“I have played a lot of domestic cricket and can say that we have loads of talented players. A lot of these matches haven’t been, and are not televised so it is believed that there is a lack of talent. There are many active and even former cricketers who go through the grinds of domestic cricket and regularly do well for their respective teams,” said Raut.

“However, people know only 15 players who feature the Indian squad and their performance in the domestic circuit goes unnoticed. A women’s IPL will also help them get their due recognition. So, I firmly believe that we have enough talent in the country to start a five or six-team IPL,” she added.

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Ex-Mumbai captain Milind Rege passes away; players wear black armbands in Ranji Trophy match

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5 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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New Delhi, Feb 19: Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege passed away on Wednesday in Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. He was 76. He is survived by his wife Raj and two sons.

The Mumbai Cricket Association took to X to share the condolence message: “Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Milind Rege. A stalwart of Mumbai cricket, he served with dedication as Captain, Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee, Managing Committee Member, and Advisor. His legacy will forever be remembered. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.”

The stalwart of Mumbai cricket, Rege was part of five consecutive Ranji Trophy title-winning seasons. An off-spinning all-rounder claimed 126 wickets in 52 first-class matches between 1966-67 and 1977-78. He also amassed 1532 runs, averaging 23.56 in those games.

Following his playing career, Rege remained closely involved with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), holding various roles including selector and chief selector at different times. In 2020, he was appointed as an advisor to the MCA.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Milind Rege Sir. A true stalwart of Mumbai cricket, his invaluable contributions as a player, selector, and mentor shaped generations of cricketers. His unwavering support and guidance will always be remembered, and his legacy will continue to inspire. He always stood by me, and I will forever be grateful. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace,” said MCA chief Ajinkya Naik.

Both the Mumbai and Vidarbha teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy semi-final in Nagpur observed a minute’s silence before the start of the third day’s play in Rege’s memory. The Mumbai players also wore black arm bands.

Former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri also condoled the demise of his friend. “Really sad to hear about the demise of a dear friend Milind Rege. A true champion in his contribution to Mumbai and Tata’s cricket all-round. A Mentor Par Excellence. Heartfelt condolences to Raj and family. God bless his soul,” he shared on X.

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National

Air India Super League 2025: Travel High Titans Clinch Title In First-Ever Pan-India Cricket Tournament

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2 weeks ago

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February 10, 2025

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Travel High Titans won the first edition of Air India Super League 2025, Air India’s first-ever pan-India cricket tournament. The Air India Super League 2025 brought together over 500 participants from 48 leading travel partners spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai strengthening its ties with the industry.

Designed as both a competitive sporting event and a dynamic networking platform, the Air India Super League 2025 aimed to foster camaraderie between Air India and its valued travel partners, including travel management companies and online travel agents.

During the tournament, teams from various cities competed in regional Round Robin matches, with winners advancing to the National Finale in New Delhi. Air India flew down qualifying teams to the capital for the grand finale, held on Sunday at Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. Team Travel High Titans won the first Air India Super League 2025 trophy by 62 runs, beating Tripjack Warriors in a thrilling final match.

The Round Robin Winner trophy was awarded to the top team from each of the four cities, while finalists competed for the ultimate championship title. Participants and winners were also recognized in multiple categories, including ‘Man of the Match’, ‘Best Fielder’, ‘Most Catches in Air India Super League 2025’, ‘Player of Air India Super League 2025’, among others.

“With the Air India Super League 2025, Air India aims to create engaging and memorable experiences for its travel partners while also offering them a platform for networking,” said an official from Air India.

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Gukesh, Manu, Harmanpreet, Praveen picked for Khel Ratna Award

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2 months ago

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January 2, 2025

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New Delhi, Jan 2: World Chess champion Gukesh D and Paris Olympics and Paralympics medallists – Manu Bhaker (shooting), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey) and Praveen Kumar (para-athlete) are to be conferred with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024 by President of India Droupadi Murmu at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced on Thursday.

Gukesh recently became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion after outclassing China’s Ding Liren in the title battle in Singapore.

Manu became the first Indian athlete to win twin medals in a single edition of the Games in Paris, following a double bronze in the 10 m air pistol and 10 m air pistol mixed team event.

On the other hand, Harmanpreet led India to their second successive bronze medal in men’s hockey while Praveen bagged gold in the high jump T64 in the Paralympics.

Apart from the Khel Ratna, the Sports Ministry also named a 32-athlete list for the Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2024. The list includes Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani, Nitu, Saweety, Vantika Agrawal, Salima Tete, Abhishek, Sanjay, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Preeti Pal, Jeevanji Deepthi, Ajeet Singh, Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, Dharambir, Pranav Soorma, H Hokato Sema, Simran, Navdeep, Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan, Manisha Ramadass, Kapil Parmar, Mona Agarwal, Rubina Francis, Swapnil Suresh Kusale, Sarabjot Singh, Abhay Singh, Sajan Prakash and Aman.

Former cyclist Sucha Singh and former para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar were awarded Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for outstanding performance in Sports and Games.

Subhash Rana (para-shooter), Deepali Deshpande (shooting) and Sandeep Sangwan (hockey) were named Dronacharya Award 2024 recipients.

S Muralidharan (badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (football) were awarded the Dronacharya Award in the lifetime category.

Physical Education Foundation of India was given the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar while Chandigarh University (overall winner), Lovely Professional University (first runner-up) and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (second runner-up) were awarded Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024.

The overall top-performing university in Khelo India University Games is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.

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