Anneke Bosch and Chloe Tryon celebrated South Africa’s victory over Australia (Photo by Alex … [+]
Meg Lanning, women’s cricket GOAT, had retired. Alyssa Healy, her successor, was on the sidelines with a ruptured plantar fascia in her foot. They had never quite gotten going, only having squeaked past a wheezing India ahead of the semi-finals at the T20 World Cup.
There were red flags. And, yet, given their gravitas in women’s cricket, having won the tournament six of nine times previously, Australia were still expected to roll past South Africa in a rematch of last year’s final in Cape Town.
But the underdogs completely dominated Australia to win by eight wickets and power into the final against either New Zealand or West Indies. The sparse crowd in the normally sedate surroundings of the Dubai terraces made of of mostly jubilant South African fans let out a triumphant roar and their party was just getting started.
Australia were left stunned by the defeat (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Australia, one of the greatest teams their proud sports nation has produced, were understandably left ashen-faced and with the strange feeling of disappointment washing over them.
It perhaps doesn’t quite feel like a changing of the guard, given Australia’s depth of talent and young blood coming through. But Australia’s run of three titles in a row, including a 15-match winning streak, has ended and there might be a new champion if New Zealand beats West Indies, who won in 2016 when they knocked off Australia.
In a rarity, in the men’s game too, cricket’s big three of Australia, England and India won’t be in the final.
That had never happened before at a women’s 50 or T20 World Cup. Only twice has it happened in the men’s equivalent events.
Australia and England were the trendsetters of women’s cricket, winning every World Cup bar New Zealand’s 50-over triumph in 2000, until the West Indies’ surprising breakthrough.
India’s cash-rich governing body belatedly put extra resources into women’s cricket, setting up the well-heeled Women’s Premier League, where top players earn $400,000 for a tournament lasting a few weeks.
Royal Challengers Bangalore won this season’s Women’s Premier League (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP … [+]
And it fuelled a rise for the nation team with India having gotten close to the ultimate glory, including losing to Australia with the 2020 T20 World Cup in front of 86,000 fans at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
But they flamed out in a disappointing exit – a bitter pill made harder to swallow with Australia and England not reaching the final – meaning that the winner will move past the stranglehold of cricket’s richest and powerful triumvirate.
There are legitimate concerns whether men’s cricket can ever shake the iron grip, but the women’s game, even perhaps just momentarily, has.
“It’s more the prospect of potentially a new winner of this tournament is hugely exciting for the world game,” Healy said. “The investment and the opportunities there are now to play cricket right around the world, different conditions and all times of the year, has done great things for the world game and we’re seeing teams really benefit from that, which is awesome.”
Alyssa Healy looked on as Australia exited the World Cup (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty … [+]
The cricket world has started to catch up, providing greater depth and a more compelling tournament has resulted.
South Africa overcame their Australia hoodoo, having beaten them just for the second time from 11 T20I matches. And their impressive, calm chase of what loomed as a tricky total, undoubtedly would have been watched on from their male counterparts who have infamously tripped up under the bright lights of big matches at World Cups.
Other countries should be inspired by South Africa, including neighbors Zimbabwe who were not competing at the World Cup but will be part of an expanded 11-team ODI Women’s Championship.
“It is something (Zimbabwe’s inclusion) we have been pushing for some time and part of our efforts in building up women’s cricket,” Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told me.
Unfortunately Afghanistan, whose national team has disintegrated since Taliban rule with their players fleeing abroad, won’t be among the teams rising in women’s cricket As I reported recently, a proposal to set aside a percentage of Afghanistan’s ICC revenue to fund women’s cricket was knocked back.
But, if you can overlook that grim state of affairs as cricket’s administrators do, then women’s cricket is looking rosy and much healthier for expanding beyond its power nations.
