'Please have patience' - Shikha Pandey against changing rules in women's cricket

The coronavirus pandemic has created a situation where we hardly see any sporting activities. Even though we have seen some football action in recent times, there hasn’t been any international cricket for a long time. This has presented us with a scenario where people have started reflecting upon existing things. 

One topic of discussion in the cricket circles has been what could be changes and advancements made in women’s cricket which could help it get more recognition. Many people have suggested several options. Starting from changing the ball to reducing the boundaries to reducing pitch size, everything has been talked about. However, Indian fast bowler Shikha Pandey has opened up about this whole discussion and given her opinions. 

On Saturday, she put out a barrage of tweets via her official Twitter handle, in which she explained what she feels should be done for the women’s cricket. In the first tweet, she expressed her opinion on the argument of reducing the pitch. According to her, it would not allow doubleheaders to take place which has been done for some time now. 

Please, don’t compare women’s sport with men’s sport: Shikha Pandey

“An Olympic 100m female sprinter doesn’t run 80m to win and clock the same timing as her male counterpart. So the whole ‘decreasing the length of the pitch’ for whatever reasons seems dubious. Also, it almost definitely takes the doubleheaders out of question,” one of her tweets read. 

In recent times, we have seen men’s and women’s cricket matches played at the same stadium but at different times of a single day. Reducing the pitch size for women’s matches would mean no chances of men’s game happening on the same day.

In another tweet, she addressed the argument of reducing the size of the ball. She agreed with what former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith has suggested. 

“Reducing the size of the ball is fine, but as Ian Smith suggested, it only works if the weight remains the same. This will allow for bowlers to grip the ball better – more revs for the spinners – and hits will also travel further (not be the case if it is light),” Shikha Pandey wrote. 

Further, Pandey talked about how bringing in the boundaries would be an unnecessary step. She explained that people have seen power-hitting in women’s cricket recently and things will only go uphill from here. 

The fast bowler also suggested adding DRS, Snicko, and Hotspot to women’s cricket. According to her, changing things in the current rules of women’s cricket won’t be beneficial. Instead, she suggested investing properly in the current set of games and marketing them properly.

She also recounted that the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final earlier this year at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw more than 86,000 spectators, a record for women’s sport. She also said that broadcasting every match will be a good option. 

I have been reading/ hearing a lot about the changes being suggested to help grow women's cricket/ make it a more attractive product. I personally feel most of the suggestions to be superfluous.

(1/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

An Olympic 100m female sprinter doesn't run 80m to win 🥇and clock the same timing as her male counterpart. So the whole 'decreasing the length of the pitch' for whatever reasons seems dubious. Also, it almost definitely takes the double headers out of question.

(2/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

Reducing the size of the ball is fine, but as Ian Smith suggested, it only works if the weight remains the same. This will allow for bowlers to grip the ball better – more revs for the spinners – and hits will also travel further (not be the case if it is light).

(3/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

Please don't bring the boundaries in! We have surprised you with our power-hitting in recent times, so remember, this is only the beginning; we will get better. Please have patience. We are skilled players, who are evolving.

(4/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

Growth can also be achieved by marketing the sport well. We don't have to tinker with rules or the very fabric of the game to attract an audience.

(5/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

Why not have DRS, Snicko, Hotspot, all of the technical acumen and live broadcast for every game that we play anywhere in the world.

Heavy investments at grass root levels, equal playing opportunities, zero discrimination etc.

(6/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

Please, don't compare women's sport, women's cricket, in this case, with men's sport. We need to see it as a different sport altogether… A sport that 86,174 spectators turned up to watch on March 8, 2020 and several million watched live on their television sets.

(7/n)

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020

They saw something special in us, and here's hoping you do too!#FillTheMCG #WomensCricket #BetterEverday @ICC

— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) June 27, 2020