State ke cricket scene mein women’s game ko aksar doosre darje ka samjha jata tha, aur resources bhi limited the. Pichle saal Andhra Women’s T20 League band ho gaya, jisse kai players aur fans ka dil toot gaya. Lekin ab, ek nayi ummeed ki kiran dikh rahi hai. Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) ne ek baar phir se IPL-style Women’s T20 League ko relaunch karne ka faisla kiya hai, aur is baar yeh chaar teams ke saath shuru hoga. Yeh ek bada kadam hai, jisme legendary cricketer Mithali Raj convenor ke roop mein lead karengi.
Yeh nayi shuruaat women’s cricket ke liye ek game-changer ho sakti hai. Mithali Raj, jinhone 2,364 runs banaye T20Is mein 37.52 ke average se, ek aisi shaksiyat hain jo na sirf apne performances se balki apne leadership se bhi inspire karti hain. Unka final appearance 2022 Women’s World Cup mein tha, jahan unhone apni capability dikhai thi. Ab unke guidance mein, yeh league Andhra ke domestic players ko ek bada platform de sakta hai, jaisa ki Women’s Premier League (WPL) ne national level par kiya. WPL 2025 mein Mumbai Indians ne Delhi Capitals ko final mein harakar title jeeta tha, jisme Harmanpreet Kaur aur Melie Kerr jaisi players ne apni chamak dikhayi. Aisa hi kuch Andhra ke players ke liye bhi ho sakta hai, jahan local talent global stage par apna naam bana sake.
Is league ka format bhi exciting hai. Chaar teams ke saath, yeh tournament Vizianagaram mein khela jayega, aur final Visakhapatnam ke YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium mein hoga, jahan Men’s Andhra Premier League bhi hota hai. Yeh stadium 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup ke liye bhi chuna gaya hai, jo dikhata hai ki Andhra ab cricketing map par kitna important ho raha hai. Isse pehle, 1997 mein Vijayawada ke Indira Gandhi Stadium mein England ne Pakistan ko 230 runs se haraya tha Women’s World Cup mein, jo ek memorable moment raha. Aise hi iconic moments ab naye league mein ban sakte hain, jahan naye stars jaise UP Warriorz ki Georgia Voll ya Alyssa Healy, jinhone WPL mein 99 runs ke unforgettable knocks khele, inspire kar sakte hain.
Lekin, thodi si chinta ab bhi hai. Pichle league ke band hone ka reason abhi bhi clear nahi hai, aur yeh sawal uthata hai ki kya ACA is baar consistency maintain kar payega? Women’s cricket mein investment aur support ka issue aksar saamne aata hai, jaise ki Women’s T20 Challenge ke band hone se pehle dekha gaya tha, jab WPL ne uski jagah li. Agar yeh naya league apna wada poora nahi karta, toh players ke liye yeh ek aur jhatka ho sakta hai. Fir bhi, Mithali Raj jaisi leader ke saath, aur Andhra ke cricketing infrastructure ke badhte kadam, ummeed hai ki yeh league na sirf players balki fans ke dil mein bhi jagah banayega. Lekin, kya yeh sach mein ek lambi race ka ghoda ban payega, yeh toh waqt hi batayega.
