When the Women’s ODI World Cup was last played in India in 2013, it came and went without much fanfare. Though a few thousand fans trickled into the stadiums, most games were played largely to silence, and only a handful of the world’s best players were recognised.

Twelve years on, the contrast couldn’t be starker. Broadcast deals, capacity crowds, T20 leagues and globally recognised stars have transformed women’s ODI cricket. It stands in stark contrast from 2013 – where venues would be changed days before the tournament, posters of the competition weren’t on display in Mumbai.

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Tickets were not for sale, and one needed to go to the venues, get themselves checked via security, and were then let inside to watch the games. Lisa Sthalekar, the former Australian all-rounder an

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