Sanquelim: In a significant step towards promoting women’s cricket in the state, Goa Cricket Association (GCA) inaugurated Goa’s first Pink Cricket Centre at the Sanquelim Municipal Ground on Friday.
The centre aims to provide dedicated infrastructure and opportunities for aspiring women cricketers, encouraging greater participation and nurturing talent at the grassroots level.
The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Sulakshana Sawant, wife of Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and Chairperson of Padmini Foundation. Siddhi Porob, Chairperson of Sankhali Municipal Council, GCA Secretary Tulshidas Shetye, Vice-President Paresh Fadte, member Viraj Phadke, former GCA President Vipul Phadke, Prashant Phatarpekar, President of Eagles Sports Club and GCA Coordinator, were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the dignitaries highlighted the importance of creating inclusive sporting platforms and expressed confidence that the Pink Cricket Centre would play a key role in the development of women’s cricket in Goa.
Sawant said the players from Sattari and Bicholim areas will benefit from this initiative. “We are seeing that in Sanquelim, not only football and cricket but various other workshops and training are being conducted. Credit goes to Eagle Sports Club for their work over the past 10 years. This centre will have women coaches which is a good thing. Lot of efforts are being put by GCA and BCCI,” she said.
Shetye said that such centres will come up at Porvorim, Cujira, Chicalim and Margao.
Phadke said that the project is a vision put forth by GCA. “This is a clear intent and a promise to young budding cricketers that the era of women empowerment is being given focus. GCA’s intent was to start centres at various areas and while we were focusing on boys, at Sanquelim, we found that there was maximum interest shown by girls, which was around 36 of them. And we plan to start another 3 centres. It is an honour to get the centre inaugurated by Sulakshana Sawant,” he said.
The initiative has been undertaken by the GCA in association with Eagles Sports Club.
