They brought pride to the nation and gave sports lovers across the world the much-needed message as to why women's cricket needs to get the attention it deserves... and won a billion hearts across India. Yes, the Indian women's cricket team deserves all the spotlight now.
From Mithali Raj to Harmanpreet Kaur and Jhulan Goswami to Punam Raut, most of the team members returned to India on Wednesday morning following their heroics at the Women's Cricket World Cup 2017 in England.
#WATCH: Indian Women's cricket team arrived in Mumbai in early morning hours to a rousing welcome by the fans cheering the team. pic.twitter.com/2Lyjkfe8KO
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2017
The team got a grand reception at the Mumbai airport. Mithali, who has fought the powers that be since a long time and persuaded the BCCI and cricket boards around the world for more broadcast time for women's cricket, is a proud woman today.
She played the final World Cup of her career and the ending could not have been more perfect. The thing she has wanted all her life has finally come true.
READ: List of awards the India women's cricket team is receiving
However, real task begins now.
With a new order in place in the BCCI, the task of fulfilling Lodha Committee reforms and with the Committee of Administrators giving constant diktats, it needs to be seen what really the Indian cricket board has in store for the further development of women's cricket.
The way our team is playing now, whoever be the Captain in the next World Cup, we'll try not to fall short of the target: Harmanpreet Kaur pic.twitter.com/fhAAtYctE3
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2017
Former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, for once, had envisioned the India women's cricket team to dominate the world cricket by 2020 and he had entrusted a women's committee task force to help execute that vision.
#WATCH Live: Indian women's cricket team address a press conference in Mumbai. https://t.co/kjfT07ysGx
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 26, 2017
The good thing is the BCCI is willing to change the way the Indian women's team is treated for the better. Discussions on women's IPL and also proposed salary increments are in the offing.
Further read: Salary comparison between India men's and women's cricket teams
For now, the Govt. of India has planned a grand felicitation ceremony for the India women's cricket team.
All the details you need to know:
Date: July 27
Time: 9 am IST onwards
Venue: 10, Ashoka Road, New Delhi