Indian sports wrap, May 13: Jhulan Goswami calls Bengal Pro T20 League ‘huge platform’ for women’s cricket
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Bengal T20 League changing women’s cricket landscape: Jhulan
On the sidelines of the Women’s Auction for the Bengal T20 League, former India pacer and Bengal cricket icon Jhulan Goswami, who also serves as the mentor of women’s cricket at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), hailed the tournament’s impact on women’s cricket in the state, calling it a “huge platform” for the next generation of players.
Earlier this week, the Bengal T20 League concluded its first-ever player auction for Season 3, where franchises built their squads from a pool of more than 1000 cricketers, with significant investments across both senior and emerging categories in men’s and women’s cricket. Shahbaz Ahmed emerged as the top men’s pick at Rs. 12.20 lakh, while Mita Paul became the highest-valued player in the women’s auction at Rs. 3 lakh.
Crediting the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for investing heavily in grassroots cricket, Goswami said the women’s game in Bengal has witnessed tremendous growth over the years. “When I used to play for Bengal, hardly 60-70 girls used to play. Now more than 500 girls are enlisted in the Bengal T20 League,” she said.
Goswami believes the league is helping young cricketers gain exposure to professional environments while preparing them for the pressures of elite-level cricket. “There will be pressure, nervousness, social media engagement, and cameras around them. Many of them have never experienced these things before. Hopefully, they will overcome all of it and perform well,” she said.
– Team Sportstar
Published on May 13, 2026
