"Please make helmets mandatory in the WPL"- WV Raman's request to BCCI
Former Indian women's team head coach WV Raman recently requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to make helmets mandatory for players in the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Raman posted his request on X after an incident during the match between Gujarat Giants (GG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Wednesday in WPL 2024. Towards the end of the match, RCB lower order batter Simran Bahadur took strike and faced a pacer, Meghna Singh, without a helmet on the last ball of the penultimate over.
Simran hit the over-pitched ball outside off stump towards long off and tried to take two runs, but her partner got run out after finishing one run. She later faced one more ball in the final over. Many fans and pundits express safety concerns after seeing the batter without a helmet.
WV Raman was among them as he took to X and requested the WPL governing body to make helmets mandatory for batters in the tournament. He wrote:
"A request to @JayShah and @ThakurArunS. Please make helmets mandatory in the WPL. #WPL #protection #Cricket @BCCI"
GG successfully defend a target of 200 against RCB in the 13th match of WPL 2024
GG batted first in the contest after winning the toss and notched up a massive total of 199/5 in 20 overs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Openers Laura Wolvaardt (76) and Beth Mooney (85) starred for them in the batting department with blazing half-centuries.
RCB's top order failed miserably in the chase, leaving too much for the middle-order. Georgia Wareham (46) fought well with a cameo but could only take RCB to 180/8 in 20 overs. GG skipper Beth Mooney reflected on the win after the match, saying:
"It was a bit too close in the end for my liking, but really stoked to get on the board. Everyone responded really well. there were few eyebrows raised when we chose to bat, but we had a good discussion before the match and decided to get ahead in the match."
Mooney continued:
"Laura was absolutely brilliant, she batted the house down, took a lot of pressure off me with her strokes. I don't know if I was as good as Laura, but my job is to lead from the front, haven't really done that so happy to contribute tonight. Our powerplay (with the ball) was really good to keep them to under 40 was an exceptional effort. Probably a few selection headaches in the next match."
MI and UPW will lock horns in the next match of the season on Thursday at the same venue.