ECB ne ab ek naya drama shuru kiya hai – Women’s Hundred ko men’s tournament se “de-couple” karne ka plan. CEO Richard Gould bol rahe hain ki yeh ek din standalone sell-outs karega, jaise UK ke aur women’s sports mein hota hai. Par sach mein, yeh baat thodi si filmy lagti hai, na? Jaise koi blockbuster ka trailer dikhaya, par picture flop hone wali ho. Chaliye, iske peeche ki kahani samajhte hain aur dekhte hain ki yeh sapna kitna sach ho sakta hai.
De-Coupling: Naya Trend Ya Purana Jugaad?
ECB ka yeh idea Women’s Hundred ko apne pairon par khada karna hai. Ab tak, women’s aur men’s matches double-headers ke roop mein hote the, jo pandemic ke time ka ek jugaad tha. Par Gould ka kehna hai ki ab women’s game apni alag pehchaan bana sakta hai. Lekin yeh itna aasan hai kya?
- Double-Headers Ka Scene: Pehle, women’s matches chhote county grounds par hote the, aur men’s ke saath jodne se unhe bada crowd mila. Last season, women’s matches mein 320,000 log aaye, jo record tha. Par kya yeh crowd sirf women’s cricket ke liye tha ya men’s ke bonus ke roop mein?
- UK Women’s Sports Ka Hungama: Women’s Euro 2022 ne dikhaya ki women’s sports bhi stadia bhar sakte hain. Lionesses ne Wembley ko sell-out kiya tha jab unhone Germany ko 2-1 se haraya. Par cricket mein yeh magic repeat karna asaan nahi.
- Challenges: Women’s Hundred ke matches abhi bhi men’s ke shadow mein hain. Agar alag kiye gaye, toh kya fans sirf women’s matches dekhne aayenge? Ya phir empty stands ka nazaara hoga?
Chhoti Teams Ka Bada Sapna
Agar baat teams ki karein, toh Women’s Hundred mein koi bhi team men’s teams jitni badi nahi hai. Phir bhi, chhoti teams jaise Trent Rockets Women ya Welsh Fire Women apna jadoo dikha rahi hain. Inki players, jaise Nat Sciver-Brunt ya Sophie Ecclestone, world-class hain, par unhe men’s stars jaisa limelight nahi milta. Yaad hai jab Ecclestone ne 2023 mein Manchester Originals ke khilaaf 4 wickets liye the? Us match mein bhi crowd men’s game ke liye zyada tha. Yeh chhoti teams deserve karti hain ki unhe apna stage mile.
Kya Hai ECB Ka Plan?
ECB ke paas kuch solid ideas hain, jo shayad kaam kar sakte hain:
| Strategy | Kaise Help Karegi? |
|---|---|
| Clean Scheduling | Men’s aur women’s matches ke clash ko avoid karke zyada players available honge. |
| Private Investment | Teams ke stakes private investors ko bechne se paise aayenge, jo women’s game mein lagaye ja sakte hain. |
| Broadcast Rights | Future mein women’s matches ke alag broadcast deals ho sakte hain, jo revenue badhayenge. |
Gould ka target hai ki agle do saalon mein ek women’s match sell-out ho. Yeh idea Women’s Ashes 2019 ki tarah hai, jab Lord’s mein Australia ke khilaaf England ka match full house tha. Par har match Ashes nahi hota, na?
Ek Kadam Aage, Do Kadam Peeche?
Yeh sab sunne mein toh bada achha lagta hai. Women’s cricket ka apna ek stage, apna crowd, aur apni kahani. Par sach yeh bhi hai ki ECB ke paas abhi bhi men’s cricket hi priority hai. Women’s game mein investment badh raha hai, par kya yeh enough hai? Scotland Women’s team, jo 2024 mein team of the year thi, abhi fixtures ke liye taras rahi hai kyunki ECB jaise boards associate nations ko ignore karte hain. Agar apne ghar mein hi women’s cricket ko full support nahi mila, toh yeh standalone sell-outs ka sapna kaise poora hoga?
Toh, ECB ka yeh naya plan ek bada chance hai, par risky bhi. Chhoti teams aur players ke liye yeh ek mauka hai apni kahani likhne ka. Par agar yeh plan flop hua, toh women’s cricket phir se men’s ke shadow mein chala jayega, aur yeh baatein sirf headlines tak reh jayengi.
