It seems like women have done what men couldn’t do. You would pretty much be living under a rock if you don’t know what we are talking about. Social media has been abuzz with the news of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB ) women’s team lifting the Women’s Premier League trophy, beating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets. From Ee Sala Cup Namde to Ee Sala Cup Namdu, RCB has finally lifted a trophy and how! Recently, we were in conversation with Smriti Mandhana (captain of RCB ), Shreyanka Patil and Ellyse Perry; all three of whom lifted the trophy on Sunday, as Mia by Tanishq and RCB renewed their partnership, symbolising their shared commitment to fostering inclusivity, diversity and empowerment of women in the sporting community.
The partnership between Mia by Tanishq and RCB is about promoting women in sports. What are the trends you are witnessing when it comes to women in sports?
Ellyse Perry: Globally speaking, there has been an amazing uptake and growth in women’s sports both in the amount that’s being played and also in the interest being shown. Then there is professionalisation on the back of it, which has given more opportunities for young girls and women in their chosen sport, whether that’s cricket or football or another sport. There’s a growing fan base across the world for female athletes and female teams. So it’s been an amazing era to be a part of.
How difficult was it to convince your parents to allow you to make a career in cricket?
Shreyanka Patil: It was pretty easy for me because my family is pretty much into sports.
Smriti Mandhana: For me as well, because my dad and brother played cricket. The only thing I heard at home was cricket or cricket conversations growing up. But maybe at that time in India, finding an academy for a girl was a little difficult because you had to only practice with the boys. Not many girls were playing cricket, especially when you come from a small city. But the support from my parents was huge. They would wait till my practice finished to take me home, every single day.
Which alternate sport would you have chosen if not cricket and why?
Ellyse : I would have taken up surfing because I love spending time on the beach.
Smriti: For me, it would have been table tennis. Back home, my coach and I, we keep playing table tennis. It’s very good for hand-eye coordination.
Shreyanka: I love playing badminton. After my practice, I would just go and play badminton with my friends and it is always fun.
Away from the cricket field, what does your daily routine look like?
Smriti: Waking up at 6 am. Head to the gym. Have breakfast. Head to the gym again. Have lunch. Head to the gym again. If you have to meet Ellyse, you have to head to the gym or the pool. I also play a lot of video games, like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), which is a shooting game, and I also love to play FIFA.
Finally, do you like keeping yourself updated with the latest OTT releases?
Shreyanka: I like watching Koffee with Karan and also Splitsvilla.
Smriti: Not much with series’ but I love watching Bollywood movies. If any new Bollywood movie comes out, I try not to miss out on it. Any rom-com releases, I would go watch it. Even if it has a one-star rating, I would still go.
Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com
X: @al_ben_so
