Shikha Pandey opens up on challenges, opportunities and evolution of women's cricket

In the world of cricket, change is the name of the game, and recently, India fast bowler Shikha Pandey shed light on how the game is evolving. During a discussion with former Goa captain Swapnil Asnodkar and Vipul Phadke, President of the Goa Cricket Association, Pandey shared her insights into the positive transformations happening in women's cricket.

Pandey emphasised the pivotal role played by tournaments like the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and the increase in age-group competitions. According to the pacer, these initiatives have opened up new avenues for young female cricketers.

“I just played one year of Under-19 cricket, but now we have Under-15 tournaments for girls. Then you have Under-23, which has been introduced by the BCCI. Earlier, what happened was that after Under-19, not all the girls would make it to the senior team. There were times when the whole batch would be washed out. Now, because of the Under-23 tournament, they are still involved," she said as quoted by Sportstar.

Reflecting on her early days in cricket, Pandey pointed out the challenges faced by aspiring female cricketers. "When I started playing cricket, I had so many more friends who were really good, but they could not continue playing because they couldn’t persuade their parents," she added.

As per Shikha, now, things are changing. The introduction of tournaments like the WPL has brought women's cricket into living rooms across the country.

“But with WPL and so many other tournaments happening now, a five-year-old gets to see a woman cricketer playing on TV, and they can dream bigger. The parents can also support their dreams,” she said during the Sportstar Sports Conclave Goa in Panjim on Friday," Pandey noted.

The players don’t have the right attitude: Phadke 

Meanwhile, Phadke, President of the Goa Cricket Association discussed the challenges faced by Goa in winning a Ranji Trophy title and the need for a change in approach. 

"The players don’t have the right attitude. The hunger is missing in many players now. GCA has failed to produce young talent from the grassroots. We need to work at the Under-14 and Under-16 levels," he remarked, emphasising the importance of nurturing talent from a young age.

Asnodkar, drawing on his own experience, spoke about the diminishing hunger among Goan cricketers and highlighted the need for players to be proactive in their development.

"Players need to give their whole heart and not just rely on the association to provide the facilities. When we played, there wasn’t much exposure or facility, but the hunger was there. The hunger is dying," he said.