Women’s cricket has gained much prominence in the 21st century. Women now have a meticulous schedule every calendar season. They play tournaments at both regional and international levels in all three formats: Test cricket, One Day Internationals, and T20 cricket.
Women’s cricket varies from men’s cricket in several key criteria. These differences are related to equipment, playing area, and certain scoring criteria.
- The weight of a cricket ball used in women’s cricket is 10 to 13 grams lighter and slightly smaller.
- The number of umpires in men’s cricket is appointed by International Cricket Council whereas in women’s cricket they are appointed by the home board of the nation where the sport is being played.
- A day of test cricket in men’s cricket demands a minimum of 90 overs to be bowled. In women’s cricket, this count goes up to 100 overs.
- A follow-on is enforced in men’s cricket if a team has a lead of 200 runs. This threshold is 150 runs in women’s cricket.
- The boundary of men’s cricket has to be a minimum of 65 yards and a maximum of 90 yards. In women’s cricket this range is between 60 to 70 yards.
- The interval between two innings in One Day International cricket is between 30 to 45 minutes in women’s cricket. In men’s cricket there is no fixed period, but can exceed beyond 45 minutes. This interval is 15 minutes in women’s cricket and 20 minutes in men’s cricket.
- There are three powerplays in men’s cricket whereas there are two powerplays in women’s cricket.
Women’s cricket finds its own challenges and also presents itself equalling thrilling.
