Indore, Oct 18 (NationPress) In recognition of the significant rise in popularity and fan interest in women’s cricket, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has proudly unveiled a special commemorative souvenir book titled ‘Million Aspirations, One Dream’ at the Holkar Stadium on Saturday.

The book was officially launched by India’s talented off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma, just before the much-anticipated clash between India and England on Sunday. Present during the event were MPCA President Mahanaaryaman Scindia, Vice President Vineet Sethia, and Secretary Sudhir Asnani.

“The MPCA consistently strives to innovate. When we hosted our first Test match in 2016, we also released a souvenir dedicated to it. Similarly, with women’s cricket making its debut at Holkar Stadium, we felt it was essential to celebrate this milestone,” said an MPCA official.

“We wanted to honor women's cricket, especially in Madhya Pradesh. About two weeks prior to this competition, we recognized the need for more information on women's cricket, and it required considerable effort,” shared Rajiv Risodkar, a member of the MPCA managing committee, in an exclusive interview with IANS.

This book includes chapters detailing the evolution of women’s cricket in India, highlights like the runners-up finish in the 2017 World Cup, discussions on equal match fees, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) providing financial stability, and a look back at the game in the 1970s.

Additionally, it covers the history of women’s cricket in Central India, showcasing Indore as a key hub for the sport, along with captivating stories and relevant statistics.

“We are fortunate that cricket legends like Mithali Raj, Shubhangi Kulkarni, Rajeshwari Dholakia, Sandhya Agarwal, and renowned administrators such as Ratnakar Shetty and Sharad Pawar contributed messages and articles. We also received contributions from Pauline Bunce, the assistant manager of the Australian team on the 1975 tour in India,” he added.

Ankit Verma, a cricket historian, also provided invaluable material. The inclusion of historical photographs adds depth to the souvenir. Our goal is to celebrate women's cricket and we hope this World Cup will enhance its visibility,” added Risodkar.

Before his tenure on the MPCA managing committee, Risodkar had a notable career as an umpire on the BCCI panel from 1997 to 2016. He served as a reserve umpire for the India-England Test in Chennai in 2008, when Sachin Tendulkar scored a memorable century.

His last umpiring assignment was during the India-West Indies women’s series in Vijayawada in 2016, where he reflected on the remarkable evolution of women’s cricket in recent years.

“The transformation in women’s cricket over the past five years has been astonishing. I remember a time when the ball rarely crossed the square boundaries. Now, players are hitting big sixes and the game is much faster-paced. The quality of cricket and fielding has seen significant improvements since BCCI took over women’s cricket in 2006, particularly in the last five years,” he stated.

“Women’s cricket has reached new heights. We now have three girls from our state representing India at various levels. The enthusiasm for cricket among girls has grown tremendously, which is a positive development,” he concluded.