Cricket is like religion in South Asian countries just as football is in European countries. In fact, in this growing age of cricket, cricket just means men's cricket for most of the people out there.

The evolution of women's cricket is only possible if the Big 3 of the cricket board come forward. While ECB and CA are continuously developing women's cricket, the biggest cricket board BCCI is still lagging behind. It's not that BCCI is doing nothing to uplift women's cricket but what they have been doing is not enough considering the fact that they are the biggest cricketing board.

After many controversies and questions raised regarding women's IPL, eventually BCCI announced Women's IPL from next year and this will be a big move towards the evolution of women's cricket. PCB too announced women PSL and Women CPL is also happening. All these initiations will surely boost women's cricket but we all know that these should have been started a bit earlier.

Women's Cricket and Patriarchy related to it in Nepal

The condition of women's cricket in a country like India, where cricket is taken as a religion, is disappointing. One can imagine the context of women's cricket in a country like Nepal.

In Nepal the condition of women's cricket is disheartening to see. Neither Cricket Board nor any big cricketing organization seems interested in promoting and uplifting it. 

Niether any media or big governing body has shown interested to promote the cricket in Nepal, as they think women cricket generate almost zero revenue. To be honest, the medias or corporate houses aren't the culprit either. Even our cricket governing board has shown zero interest in providing exposure to female cricketers. In recent match against Uganda, lot of questions were raised against the fitness of women cricketers. On the top of that, CAN and coaching staff seemed not giving any concern about this.

The condition of women's cricket in Nepal is so poor that, many youth kill their dream themselves just thinking about their future. In Nepal, patriarchy is so rigit that women are only meant to do household work, take care of the family, etc. A female dreaming of being in sports isn't yet accepted by our society. If this thinking can be changed, a lot can change in women's cricket in Nepal.

It's very hard to convince the family also to let their daughter play.

In our recent talk with few women cricketers, they said, 

"We struggle lot, niether we had proper training facilities nor proper equipment but still we fought hard. None of them (Board/coaching staff) showed interest for providing us help in our initial days. We even have to arrange the funding ourself".

They Further added, "We are players, for practicing sometimes we have to wear shorts for which we receive criticism from the society , question in our characters are asked. With all this going around, how you expect to change the situation and how you expect the development of womens cricket?"

Not only from people, the discrimination is itself from the cricketing board, the pay difference of men and womens is huge. 

What can be done to change this patriarchy?

Though the nation's favorite sport and past time clearly demonstrate instances of gender discrimination against women, we are fully aware of the concept of gender equality in current times.It is time to give women's cricket in Nepal the much-needed boost of funding, coaches, facilities, and advertising.

Thus, with more initiative from the CAN, sports broadcasters, and cricket fans themselves, Ne[pal women cricketers would undoubtedly accomplish greater heights and acquire the same degree of popularity, respect, and stardom as the  men's squad, inspiring the same level of national pride in all Nepal.

Also the awareness raising program is needed to change the concept of society, if women given a chance can do wonder and create a history. 

Recently, New Zealand cricket board announced the equal pay parity for men and women player, this should be followed by other nations too. If board and government start treating them with equity, then sooner or later other will to accept it. 

The best possible way to uplift the women cricket is from school level, encourage girls to come forward. Train them and they can be the future of ours.

The governing body in each province MUST run a domestic series, culminating in a National trophy like the PM’s cup.