New Delhi, Feb 20 (AFP/APP): India’s women cricketers could be forgiven for feeling a little jealous during the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, where the hosts are paid as much as the men and play in front of packed stands. While Australian women’s cricket is on a roll, India’s women lag far behind their vaunted men’s cricketers, who are feted as demi-gods with endorsements and lifestyles to match. In Australia, the final of the fifth edition of the Women’s Big Bash League drew a sell-out crowd in Brisbane last year, underlining the growing appeal of women’s cricket. The T20 World Cup final, at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, could attract a record attendance for a women’s sporting fixture, exceeding the 90,185 at the 1999 football World Cup final in Pasadena, California. Perhaps it’s no surprise that Australia have won four T20 World Cup titles so far, and are hot favourites to make it five when the tournament starts on Friday. Meanwhile in India, the world’s largest cricket market and the sport’s financial powerhouse, there’s no women’s version of the Indian Premier League, and few opportunities to play. A case in point is teenage batting sensation Shafali Verma, who cut her … Continue reading Mind the gender gap: India’s women’s cricketers bat for higher pay