We encountered the two sisters in a small village a thousand miles away from the main event’s location.
India had recently launched a new cricket league for women, attracting $500 million in private investments, marking a significant moment. A career in sports for young women was now a viable option, offering economic opportunities and potential stardom.
Many players in the league came from humble backgrounds, like Harmanpreet Kaur, who had emerged from a village in Punjab to become a top player, overcoming numerous hurdles.
We were curious about how young Indian girls with dreams viewed this development.
To find out, we visited Dharoki village in Ms. Kaur’s home province, where we encountered a group of cheerful young girls training under the guidance of a police officer who had converted a part of his family land into practice fields. Among them were Naina, 13, and her older sister Sunaina, 14.
The Women’s Premier League had just started its second season amid much excitement, but at that time, in the spring, it was still new as we observed the girls warming up with a two-mile run around the village, giggling during their drills, and then riding off on their bicycles into the evening.
It was only when we climbed shaky stairs to the single-room home where the photograph was taken — the girls’ parents both worked as sweepers — that we truly understood the significance of the new cricket league.
In India, the promise of upward mobility is hindered by a lack of job opportunities. Women face additional challenges due to the prevalent belief that their role is confined to the home.
Cricket now offers another pathway for some women. It is immensely popular in India, played or watched in almost every household.
According to Sohini Chattopadhyay, the high nationalism of sports allows women to project themselves in a way that few other things do.
Naina, Sunaina, and their teammates continue to hone their skills, cycling through the mustard fields to their practice ground. Last year, the sisters were chosen to compete at a higher level in other districts.
They returned with a valuable piece of advice: speaking up to make their voices heard across the cricket field. There is a life lesson in that, and it is evident that they have taken the advice to heart.
During a recent visit to Dharoki, we witnessed them running laps, bantering with their mentor, and participating in strength exercises, such as climbing a rope hanging from a peepal tree.
There was a palpable sense of confidence about them.
Indeed, they were exuding loud confidence.
Photograph by Atul Loke, written by Mujib Mashal