HYDERABAD: women’s participation in cricket has doubled across India since 2020, according to a new large-scale study commissioned by the BBC and Collective Newsroom and conducted by Kantar.The study, conducted across 14 Indian states, found that the proportion of women who say they play cricket has increased from 5% in 2020 to 10% in 2026. Among young women aged 15-24, participation has grown even more sharply, rising from 6% to 16%.The trend is equally evident in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where women’s participation in cricket has doubled from 8% to 16%. Nearly 39% of women in the two states now report participating in at least one sporting activity. Badminton has also witnessed significant growth.In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the proportion of women playing badminton has tripled since 2020, increasing from 3% to 9%.Speaking during the panel discussion on Wednesday, AP Jithender Reddy, advisor to the Telangana government on sports affairs and president of the Telangana Olympic Association, said that the Telangana government is giving high priority to sports.He said indoor stadiums are being constructed in every Assembly constituency and that the government aims to complete them by 2028, after which it plans to host the Khelo India Games. He added that the Telangana government is fully committed to ensuring adequate facilities and safety for women in sports.As India bids to host the 2036 Olympic Games, he said Telangana is considering bidding to host two Olympic events.Meanwhile, para-badminton champion Manasi Joshi said that concerns around safety and inadequate facilities were once major barriers preventing women from excelling in sports.However, she noted that sports infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years. She said that had she not trained in Hyderabad, she would not have reached where she is today.The survey also noted that the 26% of young women surveyed have considered a career in sport, with the highest levels reported in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya.51% of respondents reported following women’s sports coverage in the past six months, bringing women’s sport within 10% points of men’s sport coverage. Viewership has nearly doubled from 15% for the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2020 to 28% for the Women’s Premier League.
