From ensuring all round development of female athletes to shutting down those who troll sportswomen on social media, Jinisha Sharma has her hands full
When she’s not looking for ways to promote sportswomen, Jinisha Sharma (right) is joining hands with like-minded people like Navya Naveli Nanda (left) to take on the trolls
The second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ends today at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. We caught up with Jinisha Sharma, whose team, UP Warriorz, fought valiantly before being knocked out before playoffs, to talk about the WPL, resonance beyond the game, pushing for more women in sport and zero tolerance towards trolls.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
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It is a wrap for the second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). It is now off season, so, what will the schedule now for the UP Warriorz?
We’re committed to supporting our players during season as well as off-season. So, there will be camps, training sessions and year-round guidance for the players. It is not just about getting into top shape when the next season approaches. Our coaches remain in close contact with the players all throughout.
Jinisha Sharma
Any perspective on the spectatorship in Bengaluru? There was some trepidation earlier that stands will not be filled for women’s matches…
I want to give a huge shoutout to the incredible fans in Bengaluru. Their support this WPL has been phenomenal. Presence is one thing the enthusiasm, energy and passion has elevated the season.
There were parallel initiatives as important as games through the season, like the “She Believe We Believe” initiative with Delhi Capitals.
We were so thrilled that Delhi Capitals embraced our collaboration wholeheartedly. The captains of the opposing teams, Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals) and Alyssa Healy (UP Warriorz) held a banner with the message #SHEBELIEVEWEBELIEVE at the time of the toss. Healy reiterated that she believed in every woman’s right to chase her dreams. Both skippers took a lap of the ground at the end of the game, thanking fans for coming in on a momentous day. Attending games is the most powerful way to champion women’s sports.
You dream of making sport more accessible to women and have been very vocal about it.
We have already collaborated with Sisters in Sweat, and we have a mutual mission to enhance the participation of women in cricket. We partnered with Ashirwad ITC to expand grassroots sports opportunities for girls, particularly in UP. This initiative aims to reach over 4,000 players across 30 districts of UP, providing them with a platform to showcase their skill through an inter-zonal tournament, and further coaching opportunities from UP Warriorz coaches, allowing them to qualify for the team.
You had a campaign tackling online trolling and abuse, especially targeted at women athletes.
We recently partnered with Navya Naveli Nanda and her Project Naveli to take this on. Comments targeting players’ appearances are deeply disturbing. As someone deeply involved in our brand and content strategy, I couldn’t ignore this trolling. Besides it was not limited to our franchise. Our campaign addresses the issue head-on, empowering players and sending a clear message that we won’t tolerate such behaviour.
What direction do you see Capri Sports going in the near future?
Our current focus is on consolidating our four franchises; Bengal Warriors in Pro Kabaddi, Rajasthan Warriors in Ultimate Kho-Kho, Sharjah Warriors in the International League T20 and UP Warriorz in the WPL. Player development remains top priority. We want to nurture talent and contribute to the growth of the sports we’re associated with. We have had such a demanding season, and our team deserves some well-earned downtime. Recharge and reflect before diving into the next phase of sporting endeavours.
And finally, which sport does Jinisha Sharma like?
I’ve grown up in Mumbai and currently live in Prabhadevi. Cricket holds a special place in the city’s heart, but I do like to play badminton whenever time permits. I also dabbled in other sports, such as throwball and basketball, during my school days.
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