Smriti Mandhana, RCB women’s team captain, on Saturday excuded confidence of her team doing well in the inagural edition of the Women Premier League (WPL).
“The WPL is a landmark tournament in the history of women’s cricket, and I hope we all will be inspiring a lot many women to take up the sports through our performance and presence. It’s extremely encouraging for us to see a franchise like RCB to commit to this larger cause of equal participation of women and invest a round sum of money to get a team and contribute to the growth of India.” She told media persons here.
“I thank the RCB management for giving me the opportunity to be a part of and lead a legacy team like the RCB. It is an exciting opportunity and at the same time challenging, ” she said.
Speaking on the occassion, RCB chairman Prathmesh Mishra said ” We are confident that the WPL will go a long way not just in boosting women’s cricket in India but also mark a journey in equal participation of women in society at large. Along with superstars like Smriti Mandhana leading the team that RCB is immensely proud of putting together reflects our commitment and desire to promote women’s cricket and growth of opportunities for women in this country.
“Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue but also a critical economic challenge. Nation can grow if there is gender parity and advancing woman’s equity can add to economic growth.” he said adding “Investing in the women’s team has always been on top of our agenda. We believe it is a core part of our culture of diversity and inclusivity. We have invested 901 Crores to get this team because this mission is really important for this country. We believe India will move if we convert Sports & fitness from hobby to lifestyle and we are committed to this agenda.”
The RCB women’s team is very central to that mission “We are ready for this historic journey which we firmly believe will enhance the future of women’s sports while encouraging equal opportunity for everyone. While “Sports for All” approach is based predominantly on the ethos of building icons, giving more opportunities to women to compete at the highest level and unearthing new talents, there by inspiring the next generation of women cricketers.”
Further elobrating Mishra said taking forward the ‘Sports for All’ concept, Royal Challengers Bangalore has made inclusivity and diversity the key going into the WPL.
‘The Sports For All — the Female Cricket Strategy is a revolutionary model to ensure increased participation of women at all levels of cricket and contribute to equal opportunity for women and growth in India.
He said beyond the field, the RCB thinks that the ‘Sport for All’ philosophy will also create vibrant work culture and a holistic society.” “Sports for All” is a roadmap based on critical pillars to ensure cricket becomes a household name and one of the first career choice for young woman in India.
While “Sports for All” approach is based predominantly on the ethos of building icons, giving more opportunities to women to compete at the highest level and unearthing new talents, there by inspiring the next generation of women cricketers, he added.