MUMBAI: The tears, the tricolour, the trophy. When Harmanpreet Kaur’s side defeated South Africa by 52 runs on Sunday night to claim India’s first-ever women’s World Cup , they didn’t just etch their names in cricket history—they opened the door to a commercial windfall that could redefine women’s sport in the country. With a packed stadium erupting as the final wicket fell, and millions more watching across the nation, the brand equity of several players is set to soar. Marketers and advertising agencies are already sharpening their pencils. Amongst the players who look to be front-runners in this dash for sign ups figure:
Smriti Mandhana: There’s no denying her talent or her appeal. Good looks, certainly, but above all, world-class batting skills have made her a hero for millions. Mandhana is second in the tournament’s run charts. The World Cup triumph will only cement her cult status. Her endorsement portfolio includes giants like Hero MotoCorp, Hyundai, Red Bull, Garnier, Wrangler, and PNB MetLife, but expect it to expand dramatically.
Harmanpreet Kaur: She showed tenacity as captain, leading from the front and taking a fantastic catch to end the South African innings. More importantly, she steered her team through three losses during the tournament—defeats that could have derailed any side. But not Harmanpreet. She kept the team’s belief intact, insisting they weren’t looking left or right, only at their end goal. That grit under pressure is precisely what brand managers look for. She has done endorsement for brands like HDFC Life, ITC, Boost, Ceat, Puma, Tata Safari, Asian Paints, Jaipur Rugs, The Omaxe State, Big Flex, and Hapipola. That surely is set to balloon exponentially now.
Jemimah Rodrigues: This bundle of talent is energy personified on the field, whether fielding or batting. Her unbeaten 127 in the semifinal showed she’s a match-winner, forming a crucial 167-run partnership with Harmanpreet that swung the tie against Australia Her transparency about emotional upheavals after being dropped earlier brought out her determination. She plays the guitar and has an excellent sense of theatre—the perfect combination for brand campaigns seeking authenticity. Her endorsement portfolion includes Red Bull, Hyundai, Gillette, Dream11, HMD (Human Mobile Devices), boAT and Platinum Evara.
Pratika Rawal: The 25-year-old became the joint-fastest cricketer to score 1,000 runs in ODIs (23 innings) and was the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 308 runs before injury ruled her out ahead of the knockouts. The image of her in a wheelchair, draped in the tricolour, celebrating with teammates became one of the most powerful moments in Indian sporting history. That resilience and passion will resonate deeply with brands seeking emotional connect.
Shafali Verma: She scored a blistering 87 in the final and picked two crucial wickets, becoming the first player to score 50-plus runs and take two wickets in a World Cup final Recalled after Rawal’s injury, she had been out of the ODI side for nearly a year Her extraordinary display capped an extraordinary week. The 21-year-old’s redemption arc makes her a natural choice for brands focused on perseverance and comeback stories. She has featured as a brand ambassador for the likes of Bank of Baroda and Ceat. In a few months this will surely swell.
Radha Yadav: The left-arm spinner grabbed her opportunity in the final league match against Bangladesh after warming the bench for six games, ending with a three-wicket spell. She was part of the playing eleven in the final. Her steady bowling alongside Shree Charani helped contain South Africa’s dangerous middle order. Her journey from twelfth player to World Cup winner embodies the team ethic that brands increasingly value.
The World Cup win isn’t just a trophy. It’s a watershed moment for women’s cricket and for Indian cricket as whole.
And for these players, the real game—the endorsement game—is only just beginning.
Mumbai: Women’s power-dressing brand – Qua has announced its bold new pre-fall 2024 campaign, ‘Modern Heroine,’ featuring four of India’s most dynamic and inspiring young female cricketers—Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Shreyanka Patil, and Radha Yadav. A first of its kind, this campaign is a powerful fusion of fashion and sport, celebrating these female athletes as the new icons of inspiration, embodying the modern heroine for young women across the country.
In ‘Modern Heroine,’ Qua merges high fashion with the spirit of sports to redefine what it means to be a role model in today’s world. These cricketers represent resilience, strength, and individuality, values that are central to both their athletic journeys and Qua’s fashion philosophy.
“We wanted to collaborate with figures who truly represent our brand ethos—women who are breaking boundaries, challenging norms, and inspiring others through their journeys,” said Qua co-founder & CEO Rupanshi Agarwal. “As a women-led brand, we deeply understand the importance of showcasing real women who reflect the strength and determination inherent in every woman. These cricketers, who have broken into a male-dominated space, embody the core values of Qua, and we’re honoured to partner with these incredible athletes who are redefining what it means to be a heroine in the modern world.”
“The collection, much like these incredible women, is all about versatility, confidence, and owning your individuality,” said QuaA co-founder & creative director Divya Agarwal. “We designed each piece to reflect the complexities of power—whether it’s calm resilience or fierce determination. Collaborating with these game changers, who have shattered societal expectations, was an organic way to express that fashion can and should be about more than just aesthetics.”
Jemimah Rodrigues shared her excitement: “For me, power isn’t just about being strong on the field—it’s about the courage to pursue your dreams, no matter the obstacles. This campaign felt special because it gives us, as female athletes, a platform to show that strength comes in many forms, and that it’s okay to own who you are, both in sport and life.”
Shreyanka Patil added: “It’s exciting to be a part of Qua’s campaign that’s not only about fashion but also about challenging perceptions of what women in sports can be. We’re more than athletes—we’re women who push boundaries, take risks, and redefine what’s possible. This campaign reflects all of that.”
Shafali Verma, known for her fearless approach on the field, added:
“For me, being a part of this campaign is a chance to inspire other young women to pursue their dreams. Being a “Modern Heroine” is not just about achievements; it’s about being true to yourself and never backing down from a challenge.”
Radha Yadav echoed these thoughts: “The path to success is never easy, but that’s what makes it so rewarding. I loved being a part of this campaign because it brings this message to life.”
By collaborating with female cricketers, Qua not only breaks ground by merging fashion and sports but also challenges traditional ideas of who can be fashion icons. The campaign marks a cultural moment, where fashion meets empowerment, and where sport becomes a medium for redefining style and strength.
‘Modern Heroine’ is set to launch ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, further cementing the collaboration’s relevance and tapping into the excitement surrounding women’s cricket.
Mumbai: A bit of a context on where we are. Hyundai in India has been a strong number to play over the last 25 years, we’ve been pioneering and doing a lot of new-age innovations in our cars, not only from a design point of view, making them more and more futuristic or cutting edge, but also getting in features and technologies that have wowed the Indian consumers. One of the biggest mantras that we ever had, is getting newer and newer, passive and active customer safety features in our cars. That could be the connected SUV we launched in 2019. That could be some of the new-age safety features we launched in the Creta in 2020. It’s coming in a lot of cars starting last year and coming into two more cars this year. But the aim ultimately is safety for all or democratizing safety across all 13 models of Hyundai in India. And I think the inflexion point came on the first of October this year when we took the bold and I think very progressive step of standardizing six airbags on 13 cars, each and every version that will be produced in India after the first of October. Also, at the same time, our flagship sedan the Hyundai Verna got a five-star global ncap safety rating, making it the safest sedan in the country. So, I think safety is one of the most important key buying factors for car consumers in India. Such progressive proactive steps actually give us the right positioning for the consumer to not only consider but also consume our product. So, it’s a good point, marketing came around and made a colloquial, nice campaign around it that not only touched. people from a World Cup point of view, but also ‘6 hai toh safe hai’, if it is six and it is a very simple USP that we have gone across mediums in our large campaign from the first of October.
Indiantelivision.com in conversation with Hyundai Motor India Ltd AVP & vertical head, marketing Virat Khullar.
Edited Excepts:
On conceptualising and strategising this campaign ‘6 hai tho safe hai’
We have actually gone on TV, digital and print, these are the three mediums that we chose on TV. It’s the largest chunk of our media mix that also covers other entertainment and news across the country We are principal partners on KBC and BIGG BOSS. For the ICC World Cup, we have taken CTV because that is a nice niche, premium audience that you can get at with high frequency and good recall. We’ve taken CTV on the ICC World Cup on digital, it is a strong top funnel and a performance running for about 45 days on the first week of October, including some impact takeovers that we’ve done on the print campaign. we have done some interesting strategic placements, we have taken the day after the India match, which is the sports page of the key dailies.
So, when the sports page covers the glorious stuff that India has done the previous night, we’ve got a half page below that says ‘6 Hai tho safe hai” and it’s very interesting. I would not say we have gone above a threshold, but we have gone on a threshold on TG and reached across three mediums and very decent recall coming at our showrooms as we speak. So, this is kind of envisaged result of the campaign making it more topical on cricket but running it across key mediums for us.
Was it that really thought-out strategy key and launched just as the World Cup was started
So, it’s both sides. It was supposed to be launched on the first of October; the World Cup was coming on the fifth of October. So, it was a coincidence that we came to know three months in advance, I would not say I came to know a month in advance. Around that time, we started to basically try to make it as topical as possible. Cricket will last 45 days it will not last beyond that. But in these 14 days, can we have a first-mover advantage and make it a very high recall campaign? So yes, the campaign was definitely strategized to make it as simple as to bring a smile to the consumer’s face and relate to what we are trying to say.
Any chances of making any more made-in-India vehicles for the Indian market
All our cars obviously are produced here, the Hyundai Verna was the first made-in-India product to get a global rating. That’s what happened on the first of October when the five-star adult and child safety occupant rating came for the first time on a Hyundai India-made car. That’s the only difference. But obviously, we have produced and manufactured 13 models from the country for more than 25 years.
On the current post-pandemic automobile market, the types of cars are most popular and are electric vehicles gaining prominence over traditional petrol and diesel cars
So it’s not correct for me to talk about the overall industry but what is important for us is that we’ve got the World Car of the Year 2022 Ionicq 5, which we launched in December last year, and basically brought to the market at the Delhi Motor Show in January 2023 This year we have got a very exciting response, it is the top of the line marquee product for us and the most expensive product in our portfolio, we have got a very strong consumer response, we’ve got a new segment of consumers coming in buying the product.
So, from our portfolio point of view, the Ioniq 5 which is one of our marquee, EV products, also has one of the most advanced features from low technology charging capabilities in less than 20 minutes range above 550 to 600 km. So, these kinds of full electric benefits Hyundai launched with Ioniq 5 in January this year. So, we are very happy with the response that we have got on the right product for India. I would not be able to comment overall on the EV market. But yes, for us the Ioniq 5 stories are a very bright spot by entering the right car at the right time in the Indian market.
On seeing a rise in car buying or vehicle buying post the pandemic
Yes, there is a very strong uptake in the overall industry post-pandemic there is no doubt about that. The market overall remains robust with almost eight to nine percent growth even this year. So, from that point of view, there is a good amount of consumption happening across the industry. Hyundai has also been doing very well on some of its marquee products like the Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Venue and even the Hyundai Verna. So, we are seeing stronger consumer consumption of fully loaded products also. So, things like automatic transmissions things like sunroofs are becoming a much higher percentage of our vehicle sales, which means that the consumer is looking at something beyond basic mobility they are looking at connected cars. We launched the first connected product in the middle of 2019 and they now have more than 4.2 lakh connected cars on the Indian roads which is the largest vehicle park since that time. So that means the adoption of a lot more features is coming in by the New Age Indian consumer, which is a very interesting trend that we are seeing from our product point of view.
On whether TV and digital help you reach a larger audience
Yes, today we are looking at TV helping us reach a larger audience. Some of the reach that is getting delivered by GEC specifically, is a large audience no doubt. But yes, we cannot ignore the ecosystems of CTV we cannot ignore the ecosystem of digital reach. But for us, TV is still the prime medium and we are getting a good resonance and reach coming from our TV buyers.
On your idea of an ideal mix of your marketing spent
We are looking at all our campaigns as being at least TV plus digital. The addition of a print or an outdoor comes depends on the scale of the campaign, but we will definitely have TV plus digital. In the very recent past we have done digital-only launches for the Hyundai Venue, we launched with a, very strong digital-only plan that has also had very decent success when the car was launched. It is a TV plus digital plan.
Digital today in the overall mix for my media is 29 to 30 per cent for this year. That is a strong number because we are still in a very high involvement category. Our spends on digital are very strongly top funnel and a little bit lesser on the bottom funnel. But, it’s a 29 to 30 per cent mix for this year. All plans are TV plus digital because we target different kinds of TGS and different kinds of frequencies on both sides. But it is obviously an integrated plan. But the aim is what will be the kind of property we will take on OTT, CTV and TV is something that is programmed based on the product we are launching, on the budget of the product that we are launching. But yes, it will remain TV plus digital always.
On the ROI on this campaign and reason behind choosing celebrities. So what is it to get more eyeballs into the campaign
I will take the second part of your question first, so from a celebrity point of view, we have brand ambassadors, but the ‘6 hai to safe hai’ campaign did not have brand ambassadors on mainline media. We took the support of Smriti, Jemimah, and Shafali who are the woman cricketers on their social feeds, specifically, but if you see the three TVCs it does not feature our brand ambassadors. We’ve gone strongly with the message and strongly with the topicality of cricket. From an ROI point of view without giving very specific numbers, I can only tell you that the click-throughs that we have got on this campaign or one of the highest. What is important to note is the positive sentiment, we measure positive sentiment through online reputation management. Due to the nature of the action, proactively standardizing safety on all our cars. We have got very good positive sentiment across social platforms. That simply means that the engagement is one of the highest on a corporate campaign we have seen so far.
A. Driving marketing metrics. It is giving me the returns on the campaign objectives you have taken.
B. It is driving conversations in showrooms.
It’s a good full-funnel impact that we see so far. In our highly cluttered market to have a campaign getting a full funnel response is very, very exciting. So yeah, you believe a simple message in a topical environment has given us good returns so far.
As you said safety is been the prime importance for all your vehicles, how does it resonate with your consumers
Safety, as I said in the beginning is one of the key bind factors for cars in India. This proactive announcement made by us over the new HP features on safety we have been launching on our cars actually just adds to the image of the brand in the country. My brand help metrics and my online monitoring tell me that being a safer car manufacturer across the range, democratizing Safety for all is actually adding a very good, positive sheen to the brand as, as I’m speaking right now because we are actually monitoring it on a week-to-week basis. You’re absolutely right, it has been 25 days into the campaign. I think a very strong action taken by the brand, and then the campaign delivering have a very strong reach and engagement to what you wanted to do. So yes, it’s exciting times. We had a very big launch in June and July with the extra new segment and the car is doing very well for us. We had the top-of-the-line, EV coming in January, which has given us some very positive cues on the EV side of things. And with the safety story getting an inflexion point on the first of October. We are in the right space from a consumer mind point of view.
Mumbai: In a significant move to bolster its association with cricket, CEAT Ltd., India’s leading tyre manufacturer, proudly announces the signing of Shafali Verma, the prodigious Indian cricketer, as its latest brand ambassador. With this, Verma joins the esteemed list of CEAT’s cricketing brand ambassadors, which includes stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Mathew Hayden.
At the tender age of 15, Verma made history by becoming the youngest-ever cricketer to represent India, shattering a 30-year-old record previously held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. She further solidified her position in the annals of cricket by becoming the youngest-ever half-centurion for India. Her fearless style of play, combined with an undying passion, resilience, and an indomitable spirit, led India to clinch the U-19 ICC Cricket World Cup title.
CEAT Ltd. chief marketing officer Lakshmi Narayanan B said, “At CEAT, our dedication to cricket runs deep, and our association with the sport has only grown stronger over the years. From our annual CEAT Cricket Ratings to our strategic partnerships, we have always prioritized recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance. As we welcome Shafali Verma to the CEAT family, it’s her exceptional on-field performance that stands out. While the personality of a player is significant, it’s their consistent achievements across various formats that truly resonate with our brand’s values. Shafali embodies the spirit of excellence and determination that CEAT champions. We are thrilled to have her on board and look forward to a successful partnership, furthering our commitment to support and uplift the sport of cricket.”
Verma said, “I am thrilled to join the CEAT family. It has, for long been a brand that has been associated with some exceptional cricketers and I hope to carry on that trend. What’s more important is the role CEAT is playing in acknowledging women’s cricket, which makes this relationship even more special.”
CEAT has been synonymous with cricket, and the addition of Verma to its roster of ambassadors only reinforces its commitment to the sport.
Mumbai: Smart mobility solutions provider Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Saturday announced its new campaign with the six- and seven-seater SUV – Alcazar, featuring Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and Indian cricketers Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Taniyaa Bhatia and Shafali Verma.
Under the aegis of ‘Beyond Mobility,’ the TVC captures the premium quality, versatility, and space of the SUV, while portraying an interesting journey of the four cricketers with SRK joining them on a fun journey.
The commercial delves into a fun-filled conversation between the young cricketers and the superstar, aiming to redefine driving experience. Initially awe-struck at the unexpected presence of Shah Rukh Khan, the cricketers are captured personifying their sporty spirit to action while exploring the SUV’s elegance from every angle. The film highlights the Alcazar’s ample seating space, performance, interiors with a combination of versatility and futuristic characteristics in a 360-degree campaign, which will be led by television and digital platforms.
Commenting on the launch of the new campaign, Hyundai Motor India Ltd director (sales, marketing & service) Tarun Garg said, “With our latest campaign, Hyundai has engaged its young and inspiring Corporate Brand Ambassadors – Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Taniyaa Bhatia and Shafali Verma along with Shah Rukh Khan, to showcase the many unique and aspirational elements of Alcazar in thought-provoking series of events. As a youth centric brand, the new campaign showcases millennial preference for innovative new-age technology and Hyundai’s commitment to deliver the best through its world-class products.”
Launched nationwide, the commercial is centered around the bold and dynamic design of the SUV, highlighting its features in an entertaining way.
Mumbai: Continuing its association with ace athletes and sportspersons, Bank of Baroda on Tuesday announced Indian cricketer Shafali Verma as its brand endorser.
“We continuously support the youth of the country through various banking and non-banking initiatives and this announcement reflects the Bank’s ethos of adding value to its customer experience by choosing youth-icons like Shafali to inspire them. Her personality resonates grit, determination, and dependability which reflects the Bank’s brand ideologies,” said Bank of Baroda MD and CEO Sanjiv Chadha.
Verma became the youngest woman cricketer to play for India in her debut game against South Africa. “She brings in a natural connect with today’s youth, especially women and she exuberates sportsman spirit and qualities on and off-field,” said the bank in a statement. The top-order batswoman is currently playing across all formats for India.
“I am humbled and proud of being associated with an institution whose legacy is more than a century old. I personally connect with the Bank’s forward-looking vision and its futuristic approach in all spheres of banking and technology,” Verma said.
Mumbai: After parents, teachers are the most influential and life-changing role models for children. They inspire, encourage, and guide us to find the best in ourselves and strive for excellence. Undoubtedly, they are the real heroes who dedicate themselves in shaping other’s life and create role models that we look up to. Extending gratitude for their commitment to shaping lives, Sony YAY! celebrates Teacher’s Day with the fourth edition of their marquee initiative, Heroes Behind the Heroes, by honouring the change-makers from different walks of life for their valuable contribution to the society.
Building on the success of its previous editions, the much-acclaimed initiative has celebrated and honoured champions in the likes of Sania Mirza, Kailash Satyarthi, Subhash Ghai, Anupam Kher, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Mahavir Singh Phogat amongst others.
This year, the channel acknowledges most legendary icons of education, tech, space-science, sports and entertainment industries.
1. Sudha Murty – As the Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, through her relentless efforts, has extended a helping hand to the under privileged in the areas of arts, culture, ritual development and hunger eradication
2. Dr Mylswamy Annadurai Dubbed as the "Moon Man of India", he is the former director of ISRO Satellite Centre and has also played key roles in some of the country’s most complex missions like Chandrayaan & Mangalyaan
3. Byju Raveendran – He is the founder of Byjus app and has revolutionized and reformed modern-day education with technology!
4. Sonu Sood – He is an actor who has won hearts with his unmatched generosity and has emerged as a pillar of support during the lockdown for many migrants across the country.
5. Shilpa Shetty Kundra – An actor, fitness enthusiast and entrepreneur, she has been instrumental in fostering the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle amongst young parents and children
6. Shafali Verma – She is the latest batting sensation in the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, who became the youngest Indian to score an international half-century – surpassing a 30-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar
7. Jwala Gutta – She is one of the country’s most decorated badminton players having won a Gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Comments:
Leena Lele Dutta, Business Head, Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre!
“Teachers play an important role in all of our lives, as they build the foundation of our future and support us in everything that we aspire to be! They are the real nation-builders with the multitude of roles they play in our lives. On this teacher’s day, we at Sony YAY! extend our tribute to these icons of our country”.
Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation
“Thank you Sony YAY! for the award – Heroes Behind the Heroes. I am grateful and I am glad that I have been able to continue my philanthropic work through decades. There’s still much to be done and I look forward to it.”
Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, Indian scientist
"I am extremely happy to receive the award ‘Heroes Behind the Heroes’ conferred on me by Sony YAY! on the Eve of National Teacher’s day. If I am there in the school text books of Tamil Nadu, it's due to the seed implanted in my soul to be a worthy human by my teachers. If I am called Moon man of India, it is the outcome of that curiosity in outer planets imbibed by the teachers. In short, what I am is due to my teachers, who were the all-time heroes behind my success and boost to take me out of failures"
Byju Raveendran, Founder of Byju’s
“Thank you for this gesture team Sony YAY! . Our goal has always been to help kids fall in love with learning and to enable them to become life-long learners. This award is for every single member of the BYJU’S’ family.”
Sonu Sood, Actor
“All of my efforts over the past few months have been life-lessons that were imparted to me by my teachers and gurus. The reason thousands of migrants saw me take ownership of the situation was because of what my teachers taught me. I’m glad to have learnt the right things under their tutelage and made a change in society for the better. I thank Sony YAY! for this initiative that recognizes the role that teachers play in our lives. They truly are the God amongst us human beings.”
"Thank you Sony YAY! for the ‘Heroes Behind the Heroes’ award. Teachers are the first people, apart from our family, who have the power to shape our personalities. The lockdown entailed virtual schooling, and getting down to teach my son amid this new normal has made me realize the value & importance of teachers. The values, discipline, & teachings that they have imparted have been instrumental in how I see life, and how my child will see life & make decisions. Today, if I can make a difference in any way to the society we live in, I humbly owe it to my gurus. They are the real heroes to me, and I want to say a big thank you to the entire team of Sony YAY! for this extremely beautiful & thoughtful gesture of recognizing their value & contribution. They say Acharya Devo Bhava; so, on that note, Happy Teacher’s Day.”
Shafali Verma, Indian Cricketer
“It gives me immense pleasure and I feel honored to receive this award from Sony YAY! I'd like to dedicate this award to my father for he has been the real Hero in my journey. I'd also like to dedicate this honor to my coaches who moulded and continue to shape my career."
Jwala Gutta, Professional badminton player
“I would like to thank Sony YAY! for giving me this award, I am humbled and overwhelmed by this honor. I hope I can live up to it as it brings more responsibility for me to continue on the right path. I hope that the kids get motivated and inspired by whatever I do even in the future. I wish Sony YAY! lots of luck and I hope that they keep inspiring all the kids to make our society a better place.”
MUMBAI: The recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup saw unprecedented growth in the consumption of T20 women’s cricket, resulting in the official broadcaster Star Sports setting new records. Consumption rose three times to 5.4 billion minutes during the tournament.
The tournament has reached at a historical high of 74.9 million up 200 per cent. On the digital platform, Hotstar viewership grew 180 per cent while consumption per user rises 80 per cent and social conversations grew by 2.5 times compared to ICC Women's World Twenty20 2018.
The finals, which witnessed hosts Australia square off against India, recorded 9.9 million average impressions, the highest ever for any women's T20 match. However, Australia beat India by 85 runs to win their fifth Women’s T20 World Cup crown in front of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground with 86,174 fans in attendance during a final.
Star Sports, through its campaign #TakeOnTheWorld, which featured the 16-year-old Indian opening batswomen, Shafali Verma, brought alive her single-minded focus and passion for the game. The same passion was seen in Shafali’s game throughout the tournament – her talent and pure power took the cricketing world by storm.
Even though the teenage sensation ended up on the losing side, her performance during the tournament left many fans of the game in awe and eulogizing her prodigious talent despite her young age. The campaign generated 1.3 million interactions across social platforms, 5.2 times increase over the last ICC Women's World Twenty20 2018.
The overwhelming response from fans not only inspires a generation of young girls to take up the sport but also attract brand and advertising interest to further fuel the growth of women's cricket in India.
With this, Star Sports proudly supports 100 per cent cricket, the ICC’s yearlong campaign to grow the visibility of the women’s game, celebrate the players and their passion, and reinforce cricket’s position at the forefront of the women’s sports movement.
MUMBAI: Women are no less than men, and it’s just a matter of opportunity that is served to them. This is the theme of the recent campaign — #TakeOnTheWorld — launched by Star Sports for the upcoming T20 women’s world cup from 21 February featuring 16-year-old prodigy from Haryana — Shafali Verma.
“This campaign is about women taking on the world and not losing the opportunity that comes their way, that’s the main thematic of the film,” says a source from Star Sports. “There are other heroes and women’s cricket that are celebrated but Shafali’s story was closest to express the campaign’s thought.”
Shafali became the youngest cricketer, who broke her idol Sachin Tendulkar’s 30-year-old record to hit a half-century at 15 years and 285 days of age against West Indies in T20 format November last year.
The film captures one such moment of Shafali’s life when she seized the day and played for her local team with a bunch of boys; standing in for her sick brother Sahil. “The campaign was conceptualised and executed by the in-house creative team of Star Sports, and it was shot in Mumbai,” the source adds.
Besides television, this campaign will be promoted across social media and digital platforms. Moreover, the TVC being the major campaign for the upcoming women’s international tournament, the sports broadcaster has many more game/footage-based initiatives too and is doing a lot of stuff on digital like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well with the hashtag #TakeOnTheWorld.
Says a source from the broadcaster, “Shafali is the first girl from Haryana to play cricket and represent the country as the state is known for wrestling and other indigenous sports. The fact is that she trained with boys even though you know how backward and typical Haryana can be for a girl to come out and play cricket. So, one can imagine how powerful the story in itself is.”
Further, the source adds, “The business of sports has a responsible role in society as you’re shaping the youth of tomorrow, building heroes, telling stories of those heroes that inspire a billion youth in this country. And through this film, we are building a potential hero that Shafali Verma may be in the future. And for us, we really think she is the hero wherein cricket has just begun for her.”
The broadcaster aims to celebrate womanhood and promote the game with women’s perspective. The source says, “It’s not about inviting people to watch, it’s inviting people to watch their hero. Shafali Verma is one such hero that we wanted to celebrate.”
Team India opener and vice-captain in limited-overs Rohit Sharma launched the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign #TakeOnTheWorld on his Twitter handle, he wrote: “It’s time for ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup and there’s no stopping the Women in Blue, as they #TakeOnTheWorld. Kyunki naam wahi karte hain jo koi mauka nahi chhodte! Cheer for Team India, and watch them LIVE starting 21 February, on Star Sports.”
The world will witness the #WomenInBlue fight for glory on cricket’s biggest stage, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020. Team India and host Australia to lock horns in the first match on 21 February 2020. The tournament will be broadcasted exclusively on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar.
MUMBAI: Star Sports has launched a new campaign #TakeOnTheWorld featuring sixteen-year-old Shafali Verma, ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup set to begin Friday on 21 February 2020.
#TakeOnTheWorld uses glimpses of Shafali’s childhood to bring alive her single minded-focus and passion to play the game she loved. The film captures one such moment of her life when she played for her local team with a bunch of boys; standing in for her sick brother.
Shafali’s journey wasn’t easy, but when she came through the ranks, it was well worth it. At 15, she went on to break her idol, Sachin Tendulkar’s 30-year-old record by becoming the youngest Indian to ever score a half-century in international cricket.
Shafali Verma said, “My father has been a strong pillar of support, he is a great player and he trained and coached me too – I am what I am because of my father. My dream was to open for India and make my father proud, the dream that we both had seen together. I am extremely excited to represent India at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which is led by Harmanpreet Kaur, who I believe, is a strong and aggressive player, who keeps the team motivated.”
“I believe in any T20 match, the openers play a very crucial role – if they give a good start, the team can build on a total that is challenging enough for the opponent,” Verma added.
Meanwhile, her father Sanjeev Verma said, “When she was about 8 years old, she used to play cricket with a tennis ball. She was amazed at how the crowd cheered for Sachin Tendulkar while he played for Ranji at Lahli – she wanted to be like him since then. Shafali used to travel 15-20 kilometres every day by cycle for her practice. I only wish and pray she wins the World Cup for the country.”
Team India’s opening batsman Rohit Sharma launched the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign #TakeOnTheWorld on his Twitter handle, he tweeted: “It’s time for ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup and there’s no stopping the Women in Blue, as they #TakeOnTheWorld. Kyunki naam wahi karte hain jo koi mauka nahi chhodte! Cheer for Team India, and watch them LIVE starting 21 February, on Star Sports.”
The world will witness the #WomenInBlue fight for glory on cricket’s biggest stage, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 from 21 February. Team India is already in Australia as it played a T20 tri-series with Australia and England. The women’s team will play against Australia on 21 February at 1.30 PM IST.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be broadcast exclusively on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar.
