By Sports Correspondent
Female cricket fans will enjoy free entry to all three matches of Zimbabwe’s historic women’s T20 International series against India in Raipur, as the hosts seek to boost stadium attendance and encourage greater participation in women’s cricket.
The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh announced the initiative following a suggestion by state Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who proposed waiving ticket charges for female spectators during the series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.
The three-match series begins today, Friday, with the remaining fixtures scheduled for October 18 and 20. All
The initiative comes during the Navratri festival, with cricket officials hoping the free-entry offer will encourage more women to attend the matches and create a vibrant atmosphere at the stadium.
The association has also appealed to female supporters to turn out in large numbers and cheer the Indian team.
The series marks the first bilateral women’s international cricket contest between Zimbabwe and India, offering the Zimbabwean side an important opportunity to test itself against one of the leading teams in the women’s game.
It will also be the first women’s international cricket match hosted by Raipur, adding to the significance of the occasion for the central Indian city. For Zimbabwe, the tour forms part of a six-match assignment in India, with the T20 series followed by three One-Day Internationals in Vadodara on October 23, 25 and 28.
The ODI series will form part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-2029, which provides teams with a pathway towards qualification for the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The T20 series will also mark the beginning of Smriti Mandhana’s tenure as India’s full-time captain, adding another storyline to the contest.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will be looking to build on its recent international experience and use the tour to strengthen its competitiveness against higher-ranked opposition.
