Image of a professional cricket player in action and image of team celebrating

Role Models  
Harmanpreet Kaur (left) is one of India’s star players. Her pro team (above) won the first Women’s Premier League championship last year.

Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images (Harmanpreet Kaur); Rajanish Kakade/AP Images (Championship)

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W.2

Is This Your New Favorite Sport?

A bat-and-ball game called cricket is giving girls in India hope for a better future. Get ready to root for Sunaina, a 12-year-old pushing her way toward the pros.

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What Is Cricket? 
Cricket is a game played with a bat and a ball—but it’s different from baseball. Click through our slideshow to learn more. 

    The swish of a basketball sinking into a hoop. The squeak of sneakers on a volleyball court. 

    When you think of sports, those sounds may pop into your head. But Sunaina, 12, hears something different. She daydreams about the crack of a cricket bat hitting a ball. 

    Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport. Tens of millions of people play it. Sunaina lives in India, where pro cricket is popular. But pro players there have always been men—until now.

    India recently created its first pro league for women. It’s called the Women’s Premier League (WPL). During its first season last spring, 50 million people watched its games on TV. 

    In India, most women don’t have careers. So the success of the WPL stands out. 

    Now many girls like Sunaina are dreaming of a better future through cricket. 

    The swish of a basketball sinking into a hoop. The squeak of sneakers on a volleyball court.

    When you think of sports, those sounds may come to mind. But Sunaina, 12, hears something else. She hears the crack of a cricket bat hitting a ball.

    Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport. Tens of millions of people play it. Sunaina lives in India. Pro cricket is popular there. India’s pro players have always been men. But not anymore.

    India recently created its first pro league for women. It’s called the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Its first season was last spring. Fifty million people watched its games on TV.

    In India, most women don’t have careers. So the success of the WPL stands out.

    Now many girls there are dreaming of a better future through cricket.

    The swish of a basketball sinking into a hoop. The squeak of sneakers on a volleyball court.

    When you think about sports, those sounds may pop into your head. But Sunaina, 12, hears something different: the crack of a cricket bat hitting a ball.

    Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport. Tens of millions of people play it. Sunaina lives in India, where professional cricket is popular. But pro players there have always been men—until now.

    India recently created its first pro league for women. It’s called the Women’s Premier League (WPL). During its first season last spring, 50 million people watched its games on television.

    Most women in India don’t have careers, which makes the success of the WPL especially remarkable.

    Now many girls like Sunaina are dreaming of a better future through cricket.

Dreaming Big

Jim McMahon/Mapman ®

    India is a country in South Asia. More people live there than in any other country in the world. Like the U.S., it is a democracy—a government in which people elect their leaders. But women still lack many opportunities. Most are expected to get married, have kids, and stay at home. 

    Sunaina lives in the village of Dharoki. Her parents work as cleaners. The family’s home is a room on the second floor of a small building. To get inside, they climb a shaky ladder. 

    Sunaina and her sister, Naina, 13, play on the village’s all-girls cricket team. The game helps them forget their troubles—and dream big. 

    In India, working women make $188 a month on average. But WPL athletes can earn more than $400,000 per season. That kind of money would give the girls freedom to make their own choices. 

    India is a country in South Asia. More people live there than in any other country in the world. Like the U.S., it is a democracy. That means people elect their government leaders. Still, women don’t have many choices. Most are expected to get married, have kids, and stay at home.

    Sunaina lives in the village of Dharoki. Her parents work as cleaners. The family’s home is a room on the second floor of a small building. To get in, they climb a shaky ladder.

    Sunaina plays on the village’s all-girls cricket team. Her sister, Naina, 13, does too. The game helps them relax—and dream big.

    In India, working women make $188 a month on average. But WPL athletes can earn more than $400,000 per season. That kind of money would give the girls many more choices.

    India, a country in South Asia, has the largest population of any country in the world. Like the U.S., it is a democracy—a government in which people elect their leaders. But opportunities for women are still fairly limited. Most are expected to get married, have children, and stay at home.

    Sunaina lives in the village of Dharoki. Her parents work as cleaners. The family’s home is a room on the second floor of a small building. To get inside, they climb a shaky ladder.

    Sunaina and her sister, Naina, 13, play on the village’s all-girls cricket team. The game helps them forget their troubles—and dream big.

    In India, working women make $188 a month on average, but WPL athletes can earn more than $400,000 per season. That kind of money would give the girls freedom to make their own choices. 

ATUL LOKE/The New York Times/Redux

Sunaina and Naina watch a WPL game on TV at their home in Dharoki, India. 

One Step Closer

    Last spring, Sunaina and Naina traveled to a nearby city for a special tryout. A few days later, the sisters’ coach got good news. 

    Seven players from the Dharoki team—including Sunaina and Naina—had made the district squad.  

    The sisters know there’s a lot of hard work ahead. After all, landing a spot on the district team is just the first step toward going pro. Still, the girls are already breaking barriers.

    “The people in our village said girls don’t play cricket,” Sunaina says. “But we are proving them wrong.” 

    Last spring, Sunaina and Naina took part in a special tryout. A few days later, they got good news.

    Seven players from their village team had made the district squad. The sisters were among them.

    They know there’s hard work ahead. Making the district team is just the first step toward going pro. Still, the girls are already breaking barriers.

    “The people in our village said girls don’t play cricket,” Sunaina says. “But we are proving them wrong.” 

    Last spring, Sunaina and Naina traveled to a nearby city to participate in a special tryout. A few days later, the sisters’ coach received exciting news.

    Seven players from the Dharoki team—including Sunaina and Naina—had made the district squad.  

    The sisters know there’s a lot of hard work ahead—after all, landing a spot on the district team is only the first step toward going pro. Still, the girls are already breaking barriers.

    “The people in our village said girls don’t play cricket,” Sunaina says, “but we are proving them wrong.” 

—Reporting by MujiB Mashal, who covers South Asia for The New York Times

—Reporting by MujiB Mashal, who covers South Asia for The New York Times

—Reporting by MujiB Mashal, who covers South Asia for The New York Times

This article originally appeared in The New York Times. © 2023 The New York Times Company.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times. © 2023 The New York Times Company.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times. © 2023 The New York Times Company.

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