Everything has changed since World Cup - Mithali Raj

If ever a film made on Women's Cricket that would have two parts, one is before 2017 World Cup, and the other would be after World Cup 2017. That's how the recent Women's World Cup changed perspectives of people around the world and especially in India.

While Indian Cricket captain Mithali Raj’s life was not so different as people started to recognize her wherever she goes these days.

“Life has become quite busy as everywhere we go, people recognise us. Everyone is curious to know about the journey of a woman cricketer. They are keen to know how difficult it was to take up the game as a woman, as people are usually into watching the men’s cricket in our country. Seeing women’s cricket do so well was refreshing and it has generated a lot of curiosity about women’s cricket.”

Mithali Raj says everything has changed since the World Cup and Credited BCCI. As Women's Cricket in India changed from facilities to contacts for Players, ever since BCCI taken over.

“Everything has changed, only that I am still playing cricket. In 1999, I did not have a penny to spend. I still remember that my dad had to buy my kit and arrange for my travel. I didn’t have kit sponsorship for long. But today, I don’t have to run for sponsorship now. Under BCCI, we are under central contract and that takes care of most of our things,” said Mithali as per quoted by The Statesman.

“Facilities have always been there since the time Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took over women’s cricket in their fold. Yes, money has definitely come into play after the World Cup.”

Mithali Raj said, she was quite surprised by the adulation the team received, after arrival in India and she points, the role of BCCI, and Matches being televised as two major factors for this change from 2005.

“Yes, we never expected the kind of adulation we got when we came back to India. It was a surprise,” said Mithali.

Mithali added,“I never thought that people would appreciate our performance to this level. I thought it will be the same usual stuff that we had experienced in 2005. We had been in a similar situation then when we were the runners-up. But at that time things were a bit different. We weren’t under the BCCI then and the matches were not televised. So I think these two factors have definitely added to our popularity. Now people recognise us even at the shopping malls and they have only good things to tell.”