Even those who have never played cricket or don’t understand how it’s played have once heard about this popular game. And while it continues to take shape, the game’s popularity has significantly impacted the world of sport.
Cricket is traditionally considered a man’s sport, but the popularity of women’s cricket has continued to increase over the past few years. Today, many turn up in stadiums to watch women’s cricket, and there has been an increase in the game’s social media following. But that doesn’t stop there—the number of people betting on women’s cricket on platforms such as Parimatch cricket has also increased significantly.
But like many others, you’ll wonder what has caused this sudden liking for women’s cricket.
One of the biggest attractions for most cricket fans is the Women’s Big Bash League (BBL). The BBL can be accredited as the most genuine reason for the increased popularity of cricket—the most notable growth in the game’s fanbase, which occurred after the BBL’s inauguration in 2015.
Since then, the BBL has had a big following worldwide and is often screened live on television networks such as Fox Cricket and Seven Network. Other nations, such as England and India, have followed in Australia’s footsteps and begun significantly developing women’s cricket.
Its Origins
Hambledon and Bramley villages near Guildford played the first women’s cricket match in the UK in the 18th century.
In Australia, the first women’s cricket league was created by Lily Poulett-Harris in 1894. Women’s cricket then began to develop gradually, and eventually, the IWCC (International Women’s Cricket Council) was founded in 1958. The IWCC’srole was to ensure coordination of the game worldwide in countries such as England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the West Indies.
The development did not stop there—the sport has become even more professional and detailed.
More Interest in Women’s Cricket
The continued growth of the game and its positive future can be attributed to the interest it receives from fans worldwide, aspiring players, and the skilled players themselves. The future is even brighter as the ECB has invested twenty million pounds to fund the game’s development.
Additionally, the game’s fanbase continues to grow. For example, the 2020 World Cup Final had a fan attendance of more than 80,000 cricket fans who witnessed an incredible India vs. Australia match.
Even though women’s cricket is far from being as popular as men’s, it is still incredible to witness the sport’s rapid development, which continues to grow.
Equal Prize Money is Also a Factor
Initially, there was a considerable disparity in the prize money women’s cricket teams received after winning compared to the men’s. For example, the women’s cricket team that won the 50-over format in 2017 was awarded $660,000, while the men’s team that won the super over received $4 million in 2019.
This issue has been addressed, and the women’s winnings have increased. For example, the prize money for the women’s 2020 World Cup was $1 million, which was equal to that of the men’s prize pot. The prize pot for the 50-over in 2022 has also increased to $3.5 million.
What Women’s Cricket is Today
The growth in women’s cricket has been incredible since the establishment of the sport in the 90s. New competitions such as the T20 were introduced, igniting the game’s enthusiasm, and causing an increase in fan engagement.
For example, the game between New Zealand and England in 2004 received the most fan engagement ever at the time. This level of engagement was only reached years later when Australia launched the BBL. The BBL caused a significant spike in the sport’s popularity as it drew the attention of all local and regional women’s cricket fans.
Similarly, women’s cricket gained a lot of coverage time and support when the T20 World Cup was first hosted in 2009.