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The UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals may have their eyes on victory every time they step onto the cricket field. But on Friday, March 8, celebrated as International Women's Day, the league and both teams had a bigger goal in mind during their match at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.
On a rare occasion in Indian sports history, the fans and players of two opposing teams joined hands to stand for one common mission - to spread the message of #SHEBELIEVESWEBELIEVE, showcasing women's empowerment and stressing the importance of self-belief, which can make any dream come true, cricketing or otherwise. The captains of both teams, Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy, held up a banner with the message #SHEBELIEVESWEBELIEVE at the coin toss to showcase the message of women's empowerment. Speaking about the #SHEBELIEVESWEBELIEVE campaign, the UP Warriorz Captain Alyssa Healy expressed, "We want to reiterate that we believe in every woman's right to chase her dreams, in sport and in life. Cricket is the perfect platform to celebrate the spirit of rising above all obstacles to claim victory, because we believe that women -- in all walks of life -- have to reinvent themselves every day. Two teams coming together symbolise the common vision we share for young girls to embrace an equal future, this women's day." Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals captain Meg Lanning said, "Sport is for all. Our sport, cricket, has come a long way for the women, and the Women's Premier League, in just its two seasons so far has played a crucial role in improving that narrative. For any young girl watching this exciting tournament on TV or in a stadium, it gives them the hope that they too can be on stage like this one day, and make their dreams come true." The clash between the UP Warriors and the Delhi Capitals saw the Alyssa Healy-led team secure a close 1-run win at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Members of both teams held a #SHEBELIEVESWEBELIEVE banner, while taking a lap of the ground, at the end of the game, thanking fans for coming over on this momentous day. Electing to bat first after winning the toss, UPW made 138/8 in their 20 overs, with vice-captain Deepti Sharma (59 in 48 balls, with six fours and a six) and skipper Alyssa Healy (29 in 30 balls, with five fours), making important runs. Radha Yadav (2/16) and Titas Sadhu (2/23) were the top bowlers for DC. Chasing 139, DC started well with skipper Lanning (60 in 46 balls, with 12 fours) leading the run-chase. But UPW made a dramatic comeback in the later stages of the game, taking seven wickets for just 25 runs, including a hat-trick by Deepti (4/19) to win the match by one run. (ANI)
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