More Than a Match: How India’s Fans Turned Birmingham into a Women’s Cricket Carnival
Boria Majumdar in Leeds
The best thing about the India–Pakistan game in Birmingham was the crowd. Not only was it a record turnout for a group-stage match, but with all the push from the ICC, there was more than enough on offer for the crowd. People had not just come in from different parts of the UK, but some of the fans we met had also travelled from back home in India and from various parts of Europe. With the game on a Sunday, it was the perfect festive evening out with family. The weather, for once, was superb, and in every sense the match turned into a spectacle of sorts.
What stood out for me was the range. From young fans just about getting into school to grandfathers and grandmothers, it was spectacular to see. In fact, at around 12:30 pm, still two hours before the game was due to start, two elderly women, both dressed in tricolour sarees, were quietly making their way to the ground. When we had a brief chat, it turned out they were both above 70 and had made a plan to watch the entire World Cup together. They had ordered special tricolour sarees, and this is their month together as friends.
A family of six had also come in from Chennai to catch all the action. There were two young girls among them, along with two boys and their parents. Imagine when each of these children grows up. None of them will disregard the women’s game, and they will always counter any act of negativity or body-shaming towards the players. “We watch every game whenever India plays,” said the young boy.
There was another family, currently based in Coventry and originally from Maharashtra, who had specifically come to watch Smriti Mandhana. “She is from Sangli and from the very next village. Our home girl, and we will be everywhere supporting her,” said one of the members. One of them had painted a portrait for Smriti, and it was outstanding. The truth is, the fandom was extraordinary.
This is now the biggest strength of the sport. There is no cosmetic push needed; it is mostly organic. Two hours before the match started, every ticket office had ‘sold out’ posters stuck on them, each telling a story. The game is now a brand, and you no longer need to treat it as an add-on to the men’s game. Maybe the ICC can rethink whether it needs influencers to push it further. Some of them hardly add value and do not really follow the sport. The questions asked can seem flippant, and the game does not need such promotions any more.
Coming to the Indian team, they have now come to Leeds, where they play the Netherlands on the 17th. I would like to see better fielding and the inclusion of Yastika Bhatia in place of Bharti Fulmali. Maybe India could also give Nandni Sharma a game to see how she stands up to World Cup pressure. And yes, in Leeds, a meal at Tharavadu is a must. Try the jaggery dosa if you have not done so yet.
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