The Women are back and how!

The Oaktree Post
By Abhijit Mahida · Feb 26, 2024 

In 2017’s Australia tour of India, lunch was about to break at 2:09 PM and Aus was batting. Jadeja got the ball to bowl the last over before lunch at 2:07 PM, but Jaddu being Jaddu, bowled it so quickly, that there was still some time to go for lunch.

Ashwin got to bowl that extra over and ended up taking the wicket of Matthew Wade. February has an extra day this time, what will you do with it?

This is Abhijit, and welcome to this week’s Oaktree Post. We have

• India sealing the test series, almost

• WPL is back and how

• A heartbreak for Indian Hockey

  
  …and more

Almost there…almost

Chances are, by the time you read this, the 4th test will have produced some result. As things stand right now, India is in the pole position, but looking at the pitch and the general zig-zag that luck has been having, anything can happen.

On Day 1, India was in charge, but Root was still fighting.

On Day 2, England flipped the script and scalped 5 Indian batters cheaply.

On Day 3, Dhruv Jurel put up a fight and got India close to the total. India then demolished England's batting, and now has less than 150 to chase.

While Jurel showed his prowess with the bat, Ashwin was the star of the show, picking 5 wickets in the 2nd innings. England lost the plot in the 2nd innings, again, and barring Crawley, no one showed any promise.

However, weirder things have happened, and who knows, Ben Stokes might pull a rabbit from the hat, to level the series 2-2.

The Women are back and how

WPL started off in Namma Bengaluru, with SRK charming the crowd and giving this league a grand welcome.

The second season kicked off with MI winning a last-ball thriller against DC.
S Sajana hit a last ball 6 to win it for her side.

A similar story prevailed in the second match, but it was the defending side, RCB, who prevented UPW from scripting a fairy tale ending. Sobhana Asha picked a 5-fer, and Chinnaswamy was elated. The stadium championed their team like no one else, I mean, just look at this (from 1:40).

Also, props to Jay Shah, for believing in this league. Besides starting WPL, he has also ensured higher pay for Women cricketers, as well as focused on test match exposure for the Women’s team. Credit, where it’s due.

A Special Mention

While Women’s cricket is thriving, women’s hockey is seeing some rough days. After failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Head Coach Janneke Schopman did a press conference, talking honestly about the challenges she faced and the treatment she received from Hockey India.

Purely coincidentally (of course), after that explosive interview, she resigned as the head coach. While the parting was inevitable, the final interview of hers, where she held back her tears, shed a light on many things - “Very hard. Because, you know…,” she paused when asked about the challenges she faced. “I come from a culture where women are respected and valued. I don’t feel that here.”

Perhaps history will be kinder to her achievements as our coach as well as her style of coaching.

From The Sidelines

• 🏑India beat Ireland 4-0 in FIH Pro League. At the halfway point in this campaign, India sits 3rd in the rankings.

• ⚽Kerala Blasters scripted a comeback of the season, when they beat FC Goa 4-2, after being 2 goals down. They scored 3 times in the last 10 mins to produce this miracle. See highlights.

• ⚽Liverpool lifted the Carabao Cup beating Chelsea, as Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour continues.

Looking Forward

A lighter week this time, with WPL dominating the play.

• 🏏Watch WPL matches, every day at 7:30 PM on JioCinema/Sports18.

That’s it for this week. I hope you put that extra day to good use. I’ll see you next Monday, at 9 AM.

Here’s to sports, the ultimate truth,

Abhijit Mahida.