Indian cricket's no.1 support group will be present at Lord's for the WWC final
What's the story?
When England take on India in the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, the fortress Lord’s will not just be cheering, but also playing drums. The Bharat Army, a group of men who play a couple of musical instruments during India’s matches, will be allowed at the iconic venue.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the Bharat Army requested the ICC and MCC to permit them to play a number of instruments. However, the respective boards allowed only dhol, the traditional Indian drum. No other instruments will be permitted.
In case you didn’t know...
The Lord’s Cricket Ground will be hosting the finals of a Women’s World Cup after 24 years. The last time when it did, hosts England beat New Zealand in front of a scarce crowd. However, with women’s cricket finally gaining the popularity it deserves, the tickets for the 2017 finals are all sold out.
The heart of the matter
Along with the Indian Army playing the drum, the stadium authorities have also allowed distribution of flags for supporters of both the teams. Espncricinfo report that spectators, for most matches at the Lord’s, are not allowed flags, but have welcomed the change for the mega event.
Earlier, England beat South Africa in the first semi-final to become the first finalists of the tournament. India beat Australia in the second semi-final, on the back of a heroic knock of 171 not out from middle order batswoman Harmanpreet Kaur, which sent fans into a frenzy. However, it was reported earlier that Kaur injured herself during the net session ahead of the finals. And if she is unable to recover on time, her absence can be a huge drawback to India’s chances of lifting their maiden World Cup title.
What’s next?
For all the fans in India, catch all the action live from Lord’s on Star Sports at 3 PM IST. Although England have the home support, India have just beaten two world-class teams, New Zealand and Australia, back to back, and thus cannot be ruled out.
Author’s take
That the Bharat Army, which is seen in almost every game the men’s team play, travelled to England to support the girls is a proof that women’s cricket has finally come out of the shadow of their male counterparts. And a final at Lord’s can just bring about a new revolution in Indian Women’s Cricket. Do not miss the game.