Missing out on the last Women’s World Cup in New Zealand was a bitter pill to swallow for everyone involved in Sri Lankan cricket. But instead of licking their wounds, the islanders rolled up their sleeves and went back to the drawing board. A raft of reforms followed and the results have been nothing short of stunning. Everyone remembers Sri Lanka’s fairytale Asia Cup triumph, toppling India in the final. Since then, the women in blue and gold have taken bigger scalps in bilateral series — South Africa, New Zealand and England have all felt the heat. Only Australia now remains the final frontier.

At this year’s Women’s World Cup, Sri Lanka punched above their weight to finish fifth — just below the four semi-finalists. Rain played spoilsport in three of their matches and with a bit of luck they could easily have sneaked into the last four. Their fifth-place finish brought a handsome USD 700,000 in prize money — a timely shot in the arm for women’s cricket back home.

The structures now in place for women’s cricket are sturdy and a record number of schools have taken to the game — a sea of change from the not-so-distant past when schoolgirl cricket barely existed.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been the driving force, equipping schools with gear, pitches and coaches. Particularly encouraging is the rise of interest outside Colombo, where girls are taking to the sport with unbridled enthusiasm.

The push to introduce “Big Matches” for girls — mirroring the boys’ carnival-like interschool encounters — is also gathering steam. Officials believe such rivalry and fanfare will inject fresh excitement into the women’s game and attract more spectators.

Pathways are clearly defined. Girls now compete in structured Under-15 and Under-17 levels, with district tournaments feeding into Inter-Provincial contests. Four provinces are currently up and running, ensuring that budding cricketers get a taste of the big stage early.

There’s also a healthy dose of international exposure. Sri Lanka hosted Australia’s Under-19s last month and will return the favour next year. The Malaysian national team is due in Colombo shortly for a bilateral series with the Under-19s — valuable match practice ahead of the next Under-19 World Cup.

From school, the natural graduation is to club cricket — the breeding ground for national selection. Ten clubs currently contest both 50-over and T20 tournaments, feeding into provincial competitions, which in turn serve as the springboard for national honours.

Today, around 100 women cricketers hold SLC contracts divided into four categories — National, ‘A’ team, Emerging, and Under-19. For the first time, many of them can make a living purely by wielding the willow or sending down thunderbolts — a giant stride towards professionalism.

Former players, too, are staying in the game, donning new hats as coaches, umpires, match referees and administrators. From grassroots to the top, the women’s game in Sri Lanka is no longer playing second fiddle. It’s on the march — bat raised, eyes on the horizon, ready to take guard against the world’s best.

Telecom Asia Sport