New Delhi: Cricket fever is not just limited to men; a young generation of women is also paving their way onto the cricket field. Whether they are excelling on the training ground or showcasing their skills on the national or international stage, women cricketers are rewriting the history of cricket. That growing interest has raised the question of whether female players use the same bats as men or make modifications.
To find answers to these questions, We visited Surajkund Sports Market in Meerut, a well-known centre for cricket goods. In an exclusive chat with Anuj Kumar Singhal, President, Surajkund Sports Market, he explained the specifications of bats used by women cricketers.
Cricket bats for both genders are built with guidelines from the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) in mind, Singhal said. The main difference between this kind of software and the other one is the fact that they are lighter. A normal bat weighs about 1.2 kilograms for men cricketers; however, women cricketers have around 1.1 kilograms of bats. Both bat types are machine-made, with finished bats being made by craftsmen to fit standards.
Sports goods dealer Shobhit Tyagi, who owns a shop in Old City, explained further that for women’s cricket bats, not only the weight but also the length is shorter. For men, he said bats are normally 38 inches, while girls bats are closer to 33 inches long since they’re shorter. The changes are made at the last stage of production to provide better usability to the female cricketer.
Even national and international male and female cricketers opt for bats made in Meerut. He was talking about the willow bats manufactured in the city, which the players have even put to good use during the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL). The men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a few days away; all of the bats have already been sourced from Meerut for the tournament.