On an equal footing

A mixed-gender cricket tournament in Madhya Pradesh boosts girls' participation in sports, empowers them to be changemakers

- RAKESH KUMAR MALVIYA

PASS BY any Indian neighbourhood or playground, and there is always a group of boys getting ready for a game of cricket. Sometimes, a few girls join the team. In this intense game of gully cricket, as it is popularly called, there is no difference between the genders-both play as equals.

Taking this spirit to the next level, Harda district of Madhya Pradesh has since 2022 hosted the "Inclusive Cup", a cricket tournament where children play in teams that comprise both girls and boys. While children from Harda competed for the first few tournaments, the latest edition in January this year saw participation from Guna, Khandwa and Barwani districts as well. A total of 102 mixed teams played, comprising 1,326 boys and girls. The top four teams won cash prizes of ₹31,000, ₹21,000, ₹11,000 and ₹5,100, respectively.