\n It is a regular net session at a cricket academy in New Delhi, but the joy among the colourful jersey-clad young girls is unmistakable.\n<\/p>\n
\n They have a shimmering new source of inspiration, after the Indian women's team pulled off a stunning victory against favourites Australia in the women's World Cup semi-final on Thursday.\n<\/p>\n
\n Batter Jemimah Rodrigues slammed an unbeaten 127 as India chased down a record 339 at Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium to secure a place in Sunday's final against South Africa.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"There is always that one thing that inspires a generation,\" said 19-year-old Armeet Kaur, a batting all-rounder who has played for the Delhi state team.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Jemmy's innings yesterday was like that. It will really change things.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Twelve-year-old Ridhima Chaudhary was star-struck.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"It made me feel like I have to play like them,\" she said.\n<\/p>\n
\n The sixth-grade student said she has already been working towards that goal -- training three hours a day, five days a week.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"My parents also say that cricket academy is as important as school,\" she added.\n<\/p>\n
\n Coach Sumit Poria called the victory a \"turning point\" for the sport in India.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"The way the crowd cheered for the team -- it's a shot in the arm like nothing else before,\" he said.\n<\/p>\n
\n While the overall infrastructure has improved in recent years, a big victory like the one on Thursday \"will go a long way in convincing parents\" to let young women pursue cricket seriously, Poria added.\n<\/p>\n
\n - Prize purse exceeds men's -\n<\/p>\n
\n The eight-nation tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has already broken records.\n<\/p>\n
\n Data released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and streaming platform JioHotstar showed the first 13 matches drew more than 60 million viewers -- five times higher than the 2022 edition.\n<\/p>\n
\n The India-Pakistan clash earlier this month became the most-watched women's international match ever, with 28.4 million viewers.\n<\/p>\n
\n That's still a small figure for the world's most populous nation, but it shows the rise in popularity of women's cricket.\n<\/p>\n
\n India, twice runners-up, are chasing a maiden title in the 50-over World Cup that now boasts a record $13.88 million prize purse -- eclipsing even the men's total from two years ago.\n<\/p>\n
\n In New Delhi, the excitement is tangible. Replica women's team jerseys sold out online just hours after India secured their final berth.\n<\/p>\n
\n The popularity is being matched by economic clout.\n<\/p>\n
\n The wider sports market is booming in India, with its estimated value to surge to $130 billion by 2030, according to a 2024 report by Deloitte and Google.\n<\/p>\n
\n The 2023 launch of the Women's Premier League generated about $700 million in franchise and media rights for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).\n<\/p>\n
\n The move toward pay parity, pushed by then-BCCI secretary and now ICC chairman Jay Shah, has further boosted the women's game.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 'Very big moment' -\n<\/p>\n
\n \"The rise of digital platforms has transformed sports consumption... occurring alongside a growing diversification of India's sports fans,\" the Deloitte report said.\n<\/p>\n
\n And women are a key part of that.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Women's sports are on the rise,\" it said. \"Fans are increasingly interested in women's sports.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Whether or not India lift the trophy on Sunday, the young cricketers at Delhi's training nets say the impact is already beyond measure.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"When I started playing six years ago, there were only the men to get inspired by,\" said 18-year-old Ishita Singh. \"But now there's the women's team too.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Veteran Indian sports journalist Sharda Ugra called the win \"a very big moment\".\n<\/p>\n
\n \"It will make the game leapfrog another level in India in terms of attention and being a viable career option for so many girls who want to take part in sport,\" she said.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Already there is a mass of talent burgeoning in women's cricket in India. This will make that five times bigger, whatever happens in the final.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n India's women cricketing stars, including Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, have become household names, attracting major sponsorships and wide media coverage.\n<\/p>\n
\n There is a big market to tap into.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Women now comprise 236 million fans -- or 36 precent -- of the fanbase,\" the study estimated.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"This debunks the notion of a male-only fanbase -- and (shows) women's fast-growing influence in sports.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n sai-pjm\/abh\/gj\n<\/p>\n
\n GOOGLE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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