How Are Female Cricket Stars Helping to Grow the Sport?

Women’s cricket is finally starting to get the recognition it deserves, and a lot of that is thanks to the growth of competitions such as the Women’s Premier League. Players have used this as a springboard to connect with audiences and grow their own profiles online.

After the success of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026, which generated more than 15 million viewer hours on Sky in the UK, various players have seen their fame increase greatly. With more female cricketers in the public eye, they could help grow the sport in the years ahead.

Which Cricketers Have Become Well-Known Sports Stars?

There are quite a few female cricketers who are making names for themselves as celebrities and finding success beyond their actions on the field. For example, India’s Smriti Mandhana is one of the biggest names in the women’s game. As the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket, she was already well-known to people who follow the sport. Now, she’s got 15 million followers on Instagram and regularly appears on talk shows. She’s also a representative of major brands including Gulf Oil.

Nat Sciver-Brunt is another highly recognisable player. She recently scored 227 runs in four matches at the 2026 T20 World Cup, which helped to massively boost her profile. She’s a brand ambassador for Vitality and Sage, and also speaks frequently about inspiring the next generation of women’s cricketers.

There are numerous other names that have become known outside of women’s cricket, including Ellyse Perry and Lauren Bell. It’s important for any sport to have recognisable players, as they give viewers someone whom they can root for and even aspire to be like.

Social media has been particularly useful for women’s cricketers, as it has allowed them to easily grow their following. Bell and some of her teammates have appeared in Vogue and on advertising boards around Piccadilly Circus. With greater representation in prominent places, it’s now easier than ever for these stars to become household names.

How Else Can Women’s Cricket Gain More Attention?

Aside from player influencers, there are plenty of other ways that women’s cricket could be boosted. The entertainment industry could play a role, with Netflix already having released a women’s cricket documentary before with Beyond the Boundary. The streaming platform seems to be on the hunt for unique live content, and if it started offering women’s cricket matches it would make the sport much more accessible.

There are other sectors of entertainment that could boost women’s cricket’s profile as well. For example, there are various casino games inspired by football, including Goal Goal Goal! Blackjack and Goal Goal Goal! Roulette. If a women’s cricket game was published at these sites, it could open up the sport to a much wider audience by making more people aware of it.

Interest in women’s cricket is on the rise, and a big part of that is thanks to some of the leading figures in the game getting their faces out there beyond the sport. With stars to get behind, it should make the sport more approachable to the masses.

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Source: femalecricket.com