Former England captain Charlotte Edwards will be the head coach of the Mumbai-based franchise in the inaugural season of the Women’s T20 League which is set to be held in March. The five franchises were sold for approx. INR 4600 crore last month along with existing Indian T20 League teams Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
Around 1000 players have registered their interest in the upcoming league as per sources. The first edition of the league kicks off in March and is already earmarked as a game-changer for Women’s cricket. That said, there is significant interest from the player’s side to be part of history despite there only being limited slots available.
Charlotte made her debut in international cricket in 2004 and played 23 Tests, 191 ODIs, and 95 T20I matches in her career. She scored 1676, 5992, and 2605 runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20 formats respectively. She expressed her excitement of joining the franchise and said, “I am absolutely delighted and very honored to be joining the Mumbai One family as their new women’s head coach. I would like to thank the management for this wonderful opportunity at such an exciting time for women’s cricket. I am looking forward to working with Jhulan and Devieka,” Edwards said in a video posted by Mumbai’s official Twitter account.
I’m really looking forward to working with the girls: Jhulan Goswami
Apart from her, former Indian fast bowler, Jhulan Goswami will be the bowling coach of Mumbai. Mumbai also shared the bowling coach’s video in which she said, “Hello, Paltan. I am very happy to join the Mumbai women’s team as the bowling coach and mentor. I’m really looking forward to working with the girls, with Charlotte and Devieka by my side. Mumbai has always had a winning mentality, and we will be looking to carry on that legacy. See you soon,” Jhulan said.
The Women’s T20 League marks a tipping point in the legacy of women’s cricket in India. From the sport being available as a hobby to steps being taken towards an increasingly professional setup, the women’s game has come a long way.
