To fans, with love

Dear aficionados,

Firstly, a big thanks. Thank you for your love and support, which has seen women's cricket grow bigger every single year.

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup is upon us. It's that time of the year when, ideally, you should see big banners and posters at every nook and corner of the street, most commercials on the television based on the theme of the multi-nation tourney, newspapers carrying the fixtures about the teams, so on and so forth.

But none of them can pull you, fans and supporters, to the sport like your interest and craze. So here I am, writing to you all, to draw your attention to what the tournament offers. It is not an unsolicited advice that, perhaps, your uncle-next-door is always ready with. It's a bit of a guide on how you could enjoy the tournament - a World Cup at that - in a better way, without indulging in wish-this-was-like-that kind of thoughts.

So... here we go!

The players may play the sport on the field, but you are always kept in mind, when the timings, venues, quality of telecast and the technology used (to some extent) are decided. So, first of all, thanks for being there – for the players and for the sport.

Now, as you prepare to settle in to a different routine for the next few days and find a comfortable spot on the couch in front of the telly, here are some things that you may want to consider.

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It won’t be a surprise if you are one of those who enjoys men’s cricket more than the women’s version, because you are attuned to watching the men strut their stuff for years now. Most of you will remember Ricky Ponting being stranded on 98 in the first-ever T20I in 2005 against New Zealand. You will, perhaps, also remember how the great Glenn McGrath was carted to all parts of Eden Park in Auckland while Michael Kasprowicz picked up four wickets.

However, few of you may know that the women actually played the shortest format at the highest level even before the men. New Zealand, led by Rebecca Rolls, defeated England – for whom Claire Taylor top-scored with 43 – by a mere nine runs. This was all thanks to Aimee Watkins’ three wickets – including that of Taylor – and Amanda Green’s two wickets.

But the women’s game wasn’t telecast then. Well, much of it wasn’t telecast regularly up until the Women’s World Cup in 2017. It was only then that the women’s game started to get more screen time, still much lower than their male counterparts.

So, in a way, women’s T20Is are older than the men’s. This is not to ask you to compare both the sports but, in fact, to tell you not to do so.

Don’t even compare it (women's cricket) with sports like tennis or badminton, in which the women’s as well as the men’s events seem equally competitive, to the extent that they play a mixed doubles, too.

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Here, you may see the team batting first fighting their way to a score around the 100-110 mark. And then you will think that the chasing side is in for an easy win. You might even switch off the television and do something else. Even if you carry on watching and the see the chasing team crawl its way to the score but fall just short, don’t lose patience. Try not to let your mind go in the direction of thoughts like, “Men’s teams would have chased this down easily” or “this is what women’s cricket is all about."

Because it is not.

Only recently, India did the unthinkable by beating Australia in their own backyard. They chased down 174, losing just three wickets in the process to achieve their highest-successful run-chase. The highest team total in women’s T20Is is 314 while the best a men’s side has got to is 278. The point is that women can hit the long ball, too.

Don’t just measure the fun element in the sport by the ability to hit it far. Deandra Dottin holds the record for the fastest hundred in T20 World Cups – across genders – while her bowling figures of 5 for 5 are the best in the tournament by a West Indies player – again, across genders. Viewing the women’s sport for what it offers will help you enjoy it more.

Ellyse Perry currently (before the start of the T20 World Cup 2020) has 1192 runs and 113 wickets in the shortest format. She is the first player to score 1000 runs and take over 100 wickets in T20Is. You will do well to keep an eye on her, irrespective of the surface on offer.

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This edition of the tournament, numbers foretell, will likely be the biggest yet. It will break several records as the game continues to transcend limits. You could be in for a run-fest. The organisers have left no stone unturned to make it as big as they possibly can. Now it's your turn to extend your support.

Look, it’s a 23-match tournament, including the semis and the final. You have to understand that not all the games will be competitive or equally fun to watch. But each game will reveal to you the character and true talent of the players on show. They will allow you to judge for yourself who your favourite player is, or perhaps, whom you prefer to watch in action. However, give them all a chance!

So, get set. Paint your cheeks the colour of your favourite team’s flag. Or choose your favourite one first, if you haven’t already. Brace yourself for a tournament that will no doubt blow your mind. Wherever you are, you should be able to see all the games. Or at least follow them somehow, somewhere.

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When you do, just let your crazy side creep in. Cheer your team or your favourite player incessantly. Shout your heart out. As they say, in a clichéd manner, wear your passion on your sleeve.

Or you can leave all these behind and just enjoy what is in front of you. Dwell into the world of women's cricket and just absorb the atmosphere it creates.

Because women’s cricket is not just another division in cricket. It’s another sport altogether - one which is more than worth your time and attention. So, buckle up, and get ready for the start of what is going to be an exciting three weeks!

Hope you have fun.