We're in Mumbai, India, where there was always a lot of noise and a lot of excitement as
well because those who know their cricket stadia will realise we can hear the roar behind
me. We're outside the giant DY Patil stadium on the outskirts of Mumbai, host to the WPL.
The inaugural edition as matter of fact, which is why we are happy to welcome you to a Stumped
special on the WPL. There's a lot of excitement that the WPL has generated, particularly for
Indian players who are out to showcase their depth and of course their talent as well.
And for many of the overseas stars and I hope that they have enjoyed their trip to India.
We are very close now to the finishing stages as you can see the wind is up by the way,
but some roars are coming occasionally from inside the stadium and I have no doubt that
the Indian public, those who paid for tickets and got inside the stadium have had a wonderful
time appreciating what the WPL is all about. Now Alison, Jim, normally you're the guys
who say 'well I'm at so and so stadium, inside so and so stadium'. This time it's my turn
to say not inside, I'm outside. We'll be enjoying the WPL here in India and more on it soon.
Hello and welcome to Stumped, your intercontinental hit of news, features and debate from the
quirky world of cricket. This week as you can hear we're coming partly from Mumbai for
the climax of the inaugural, ground-breaking Women's Premier League. I'm Alison Mitchell
though back in London. We couldn't not send Charu along to experience the WPL and get
amongst the players in its very first season. Outside of the WPL though, it's easy to feel
dispirited about the way the ICC board is operating at the moment. A closed shop on
its recent board meeting on Monday when the women cricketers of Afghanistan had been told
by Chief Executive Geoff Allardice back in January that their situation would be discussed.
You'll recall last week, we heard from one of the players after they had made it known publicly
that they had escaped from Afghanistan to Australia. They had some very fair questions
they wanted answered by the ICC as governors of the game. They had written to the ICC,
they have not yet to date been contacted by the ICC's own Afghanistan working group that
had been set up back in November 2021 to work through the situation. Today, silence. Simply
told that there would be no media summary of the board meeting sent out and no significant
decisions of note. So, we have asked for more, but we're left questioning if the Afghanistan
women's letter was even discussed at the meeting. So that's a little wider afield and will keep
on top of that. In the meantime, though we are very excited to hear from Charu even more
about his escapades at the WPL. Hello there, Jim Maxwell in Sydney. It's either stinking
hot or it's raining, but the cricket season at home is coming to an end. As we noticed
in India, Australia have won the one-day series there, the WPL's moving into the finals and
the Sheffield Shield, you remember that? The final's taking place as I speak between Victoria
and Western Australia. Okay, now it looks like Charu's back in his hotel room. Over to you, Charu.
Yes I am, Jim, and I see you're wearing the Aussie yellow and you should
because you won a series in India for a while. This is Charu Sharma for All India Radio.
I am back in the hotel - the Intercontinental on Marine Drive. A wonderful location in this
great city. We call it the Maximum City and I am here for the Women's Premier League,
which is making plenty of waves. What is a little disappointing, or was, was India going down
to Australia and the one-dayers, and especially Sky - Suryakumar Yadav - who did so well and
the T20s getting three golden ducks, which is probably a world record, especially for
a top notch batsman. So there's plenty of lament on that front, but I'm sure that all
of the Indian women cricketers, particularly those from around the world are enjoying the
fact that the WPL has been a resounding success, if I might say so.
And I love that area of Mumbai that you're in Charu. I've spent many a time there - the gateway of India. The necklace,
Chowpatty beach, but we want to hear about the cricket. We've waited years, haven't we
for the Women's Premier League. Finally we have been able to see some of the biggest
names in the sport playing alongside and against each other in the biggest cricket loving nation
on the planet. So, Charu, I want to know all about it. What the WPL's like in the stadiums
themselves and the crowds. But you've been hobnobbing I know, speaking to one player
who is an undoubted star. Nothing but captains for me, by the way, to talk to. I was lucky
enough to get to the Taj, which is the Delhi Capitals hotel, and talk to none other than
their captain Meg Lanning, who's had a terrific WPL. Of course, I did begin by asking her
whether she is enjoying her first Women's Premier League. By the way, they have made
it as number one in the League; straight to the finals, so here's Meg on her thoughts on the WPL.
It has been a lot of fun coming over here. It was an exciting time for the
game and it's turned out to be everything that I looked forward to. It has been great
to be able to join with the Delhi Capitals, a great franchise who have looked after us
really well. Really well set up and as a team we've been able to gel really nicely and played
some really good cricket as well. So, so far, so good. Well, the franchise does have a few
trophies undiscovered and maybe another one coming up. We'll see. Your personal form,
carrying on some terrific form with the bat. You are somewhat used to Indian conditions,
but has it surprised you how easy it's been for you personally? I think when I've played T20
cricket in India in the past, it has been quite batter friendly. The wicket seemed to
come on a little bit. The outfields are pretty fast and at times some small boundaries as
well. So I've always enjoyed batting here in India. It's a great place to come and play
good cricket shots. I don't really feel like I have to force things too much as long as
I'm sort of trying to hit the ball and play nice and straight, so that's all I've been
thinking about and luckily enough, It's come off for me a fair bit throughout the tournament.
You played around the world and other leagues as well, T20 leagues. Is it possible to compare
what the WPL is to you compared to the rest of the franchise cricket you play?
It's on another level. It's been a pretty cool experience just embracing it all. There's been a lot
happening. It's been obviously put together in a short space of time, but it's been really
well put together and for me coming over here, I just wanted to embrace what India brings
and what the WPL brings as well. And I think it's certainly been next level to anything
else I've experienced both in the way it's been set up and also the fan engagement. There
has been some really good crowds and it's had quite a nice, relaxed feel to it as well.
I feel I can really enjoy your cricket over here and I really just take in everything
that comes with it and that's something I've tried to do. Well, that's a wonderful attitude
say yes to everything. What happened last year that if I might ask because you did take
some time off and I believe even worked in a cafe. What was that all about, if you don't mind me asking?
Yeah, I just felt like I just need to press the pause button for a little
bit. I'd played at the top level for 12 years and hadn't really stopped at any point. So
I just felt like I needed a bit of a break. So I did that and I really enjoyed myself.
It was nice just to have no schedule and just do things on my terms for a bit. Since I've
come back in, I've really enjoyed it. I feel like I've had a bit more freedom and ability to
really focus on what's important. And then try and switch off and enjoy myself outside
of that, so I feel like it was something I needed to do and it seems to have worked out
quite well and hopefully it means that I canplay for a longer, too. I know you're only
going to say good things which is fair enough, it's a great tournament. But if you were to
seek some improvement in the WPL... This is only the first year and we have to be kind to it
and generous. What would you like in addition, say to what has happened?
That's a good question. I think moving forward, it'd be nice to be able to play in and travel around and play
in your home cities and really experience the home fans. I've heard the Delhi fans are
amazing, so I think that's on the cards potentially moving forward. The fact that it's in one
spot this year probably makes sense, but I'm looking forward to playing in front of some
big home crowds in Delhi hopefully in the years to come. Great to hear from Meg Lanning
there with you Charu. The Australian captain and now captain of Delhi Capitals to add to
her CV as well. That's probably the most animated, and relaxed I've heard her for a
long time. Well, sticking with the Women's Premier League, Charu. What Meg said there
about wanting to see in future and expand to the different cities; is that an inevitability?
Does it have to happen for this tournament? Absolutely. But just before that, though, I got
your compliment of Meg Lanning. We talk about Alyssa Healey. Meg was just so fit physically,
she's so still ready for top level of the game and just a wonderful person. So I've
got to put that in there. And as I mentioned it was a good spot because maybe an obvious
spot the fact that the inaugural WPL is only in Mumbai. Mumbai does have the luxury of three
major cricket stadia, like Columbo and maybe a couple of cities in the world. It has to
move. It was probably just a safety thing to begin with by the Cricket Board of India,
that 'let's just do it in a more controlled condition in one city,' but it has to move
and it will. And the impact will multiply, because there's so much to be said about a
major event happening in your neighbourhood in the proximity because it just sort of fires
more of the fans up. Not just the fans of that area, but everybody feels a little more
connected to the tournament and I have no doubt that they might fast track it as early
as next year because the tournament for all external purposes seems to be a massive success.
So why not a home and away next year itself? Jim, given Australia's dominance of the women's
game, how long before India does take it from them? Probably next time. It's just going
to be one day where something will happen and as we saw in South Africa, Australia was
run close on a couple of occasions as they put in a very confident performance in the
final. So, it wouldn't surprise me if it happened at the next World Cup, because that's how
fast the game, as Meg Lanning alluded to, is developing. Australia's still got a lot
of depth in its side, so that's the one thing that everyone else will have to keep an eye
on. So, as we move towards the back end of the careers of some famous players there,
the influence of people like Tahlia McGrath in particular will be huge for Australia.
I think it'll be less a period of dominance, but certainly a period for Australia of success.
But for India in particular, it will be a trophy for them somewhere in the next two
World Cups, I would say. Yeah, and kind of thinking of from the England perspective,
those players like young Alice Capsey and what an experience for her so early in her
career. Already international success and then on this stage playing alongside such
big players and she is as well. With the final than approaching on Sunday Charu, just give
us your take on the first ever WPL. Your overall experience of it on the ground in India. Anything
that you didn't expect, anything that you have particularly enjoyed. And of course, where it can evolve to?
Well, more teams for sure in the future, because it's been a tentative
start and a start that came 15 years after the IPL for the women now. So we've been talking
on Stumped for all these years about when it's going to happen, and finally it has.
Apart from that of course we talked about moving to different geographies; that's going
to happen as well. The attendance has been more than fair. I'm sure the BCCI and all
the teams who have a share in all of that will be pleasantly surprised. Very well attended
although I have to admit that a certain number of the ticketing was without cost so that always helps.
Still gotta get there though, haven't you? You're putting the time aside
to go, so that says something. True. I tweeted at the start of the tournament that there
were two very important things for me to indicate the success of the WPL, on a wider level and
on a macro level. One, of course, was the closeness of matches because nothing fires
the imagination of fans as a close match does. Last ball here, last ball there. Of that,
there haven't been too many which is a bit of a disappointment. The second thing I mentioned
which was very important for the larger goal of the WPL, was lesser-known Indian players
to star. That too, unfortunately, hasn't happened because 90 percent of the time... this is rough
calculation, so please don't take my 90 percent as real. It has been the overseas stars and
a couple of other major Indian stars have done all the big work. The heavy lifting in all
the matches. I'm not so sure why the younger Indian players were not starring. Maybe they
came too late for the bat, or weren't given enough with the ball. That's been a bit disappointing,
however, that's a little harsh because this only season one and I have no doubt that they
will come in larger numbers in the next few WPL's to show that India does have the kind
of depth that Australia does. I think Jim alluded to that because ultimately a game
is only as good as the depth of the players in that game and that will happen in India
gradually. Apart from that, it has been a resounding success and commercially too. There's
been a lot of partnerships. The channels pretty happy with the ratings all things considered.
And, yeah, there have been plenty of crowds. So when it goes to other cities apart from
Mumbai, that is bound to remain. And there is nothing negative at all about the WPL.
Everybody's enjoyed it. However, Jim, I've got to ask about the timing because there's
always a timing problem in Australia and New Zealand in terms of viewership, but has the
WPL created enough attention in the women's cricket arena, particularly on the cricket arena in Australia?
Most of the attention obviously has been around the performance
of the Australian players, particularly Ash Gardner, who received all that dosh up front
and yet really didn't do much to start with. She did at the back end of the tournament
and of course Meg Lanning now that the Delhi Capitals are through to the final. Jess Jonassen's
left arm spin bowling. So there has been a little bit of courage. More news than live
because of the lateness of so many those games, which you can watch, but that's a problem
in itself. And you also have to remember that as we get to this period of the year, football
tends to bang most other sports on the head. When I say football, I'm talking about the
rugby league starting, the AFL, the rugby union's on, and soccer. So that's a problem
in itself apart from women's netball has been quite prominent recently. But yes, I'd say
it's been patchy, really relying on what the Australian players are doing or not doing
to attract some sort of coverage but it's certainly been there. And Alison in England?
Yeah, I'd say similar, really. If you're a follower of women's cricket, you will have
been seeking out the WPL to watch matches, though most of the games are behind a pay
wall. The general sport websites are overflowing with the Premier League, which is in full
swing, and it's been the Six Nations rugby. And there's been lots of men's international
cricket being played at the same time as well, which is still getting the mainstream coverage.
In terms of the domestic news, if an England player does particularly well and there's
a story, there's features being done around them. It's certainly grabbed attention in
that sphere. And of course, the auction as Jim alluded to as well, that did make mainstream
headline news because of the sums involved and how ground-breaking it really was. I would
like to see Charu, like you the expansion across different cities and also like to see
the free tickets for women to attend a specifically and I'd like to see that extend into a second
year if it is around the cities. Just to go and get that buy in from the local fans and
encourage that engagement, and then I've just loved the razzmatazz, the sheer investment
in the women's game and the reward for the players. And when I think about World Cups
that I've covered going back to 2005, 2009. But 2013 in Mumbai itself, which was a tournament
that was poorly promoted and sparsely attended. Well, from 2013 to 2023, what a difference
a decade makes. Well, that is it for this week's Stumped. I'll say thanks to Jim Maxwell
and a very special thanks to our roving interviewer on the ground in Mumbai, Charu Sharma. Do
join us again next week for our 400th episode. We'll see you then. Bye bye.