In this episode of 'Free Hit', a series of exclusive video interviews with players, officials and TV pundits from the Indian Premier League, Boria Majumdar chats with former captain of Australia women's team, ICC Hall of Famer Lisa Sthalekar.
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00:00The BCCI announced the WIPL and the number of matches. We are seeing the WBBL going ahead in
00:06Australia. What is your take on this? I mean, yes, it is not ideal. We do not want a clash.
00:16Hello and welcome to this special edition of Free Hitter on Gulf News. And today,
00:20I've got somebody who we've got to celebrate. We've got to celebrate on this show because
00:25she's just been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame and one of the legends of the women's game,
00:32Lisa Thalekar. Welcome to the show. And firstly, many, many congratulations. Tell me your first
00:38feeling when you got the news of this induction into the ICC's Hall of Fame.
00:42Thanks very much for having me on the show today. I was, to be honest, very shocked.
00:50I felt that I was still quite young and had only just retired from the game and that there were
00:56probably plenty of other females that deserved the honor but certainly humbled by the recognition.
01:02Do you think that this, you know, this induction of yours and also the fact that finally we are
01:08seeing more and more women getting recognized will actually give a flip to the women's game?
01:14You can see that there is certainly a trend in acknowledgement. So, obviously, the ICC Cricket
01:21Hall of Fame only started in 2009 and the first female was 2010. So, they've had one every year,
01:27I think, bar one year. But Catherine Fitzpatrick was inducted last year and I was actually there
01:36attending ICC meetings and saw and congratulated her. Maybe the pandemic has made us all more
01:42acutely aware of what's going on around the world but certainly I've received a lot of love and
01:47support, especially on social media, on all the different platforms and it's been really nice to
01:54receive so many messages from so many different people across the globe. In fact, I can tell you
01:58this, I don't know if I should say, I was part of the nominations committee and all of us nominated
02:03you unanimously. Whether it's Claire Connor, whether it's myself, whether it's Jeff Allardyce
02:07who was deputizing for the ICC CEO, whether it was Anil Kumble, all of us nominated you
02:13unanimously. So, that's something I'm putting on record for the first time. You were a favorite.
02:19One thing that the whole world and I had a bit of a spat on Twitter with Elisa Healy on this,
02:24though it wasn't meant to be a spat at all. The BCCI announced the WIPL and the number of matches.
02:30We are seeing the WBBL going ahead in Australia. What is your take on this? I mean, yes, it is not
02:36ideal. We do not want a clash, but from the standpoint of India, only a handful of our girls
02:42have WBBL contracts and if the BCCI did not do it, it would then be accused, oh, you know what,
02:47you're doing it in Dubai, but you're ignoring the women's game. It is not ideal in any way,
02:52but what is your take on this for this particular year, which is a disruptive year?
02:57Yeah, it is a strange year and look, I've been part of covering the IPL and when the first game
03:03was played only a couple of years ago, it was one game, two teams during what, 2pm Mumbai heat.
03:11No one was attending. Last year, obviously, included another team, played it at 7pm during
03:18the finals. Everyone's used to clicking on the TV and just watching IPL matches and to get the
03:24women's games there. It certainly, we saw a huge influx. The fact that India didn't also get that
03:31opportunity to travel to England because of the pandemic. I'm sure there are a number of
03:38Indian contracted players and domestic players going, what's happening to women's cricket in
03:43India? When's our next game? When's our next camp? There was no date to kind of put in your diary
03:50and go, right, this is what I'm working towards. The IPL normally never clashes with the WBBL.
03:56This is really a strange year. Purely, if you were to think domestic Indian players, has to go ahead.
04:04They have to have something. So, credit to the BCCI for doing that. I do understand Elisa Healey's
04:13disappointment in the sense that the WBBL is always held in October, November up until early
04:20December. I guess the thoughts are maybe from international players, why doesn't the BCCI just
04:27do a fully pledged women's IPL, maybe hold it in that February time period when the Women's World
04:35Cup now has been moved. Similar to what they're doing now with the Men's T20 World Cup, they're
04:40putting the IPL there. So, if you want to sell the best product, if you want to showcase the best
04:45players in a women's T20 exhibition matches, which is really the women's IPL games, you want
04:52everyone there. You want the best players. So, unfortunately, that's not going to be the case.
04:57But as I've said a number of times, it will open the door for a lot more domestic Indian players.
05:04And we saw last T20 exhibition matches, Shefali Verma come onto the scene and we saw her then
05:10almost be player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup. I'm sure the tournament will unearth
05:16plenty more talent there. So, whilst it's frustrating, even as a broadcaster who loves
05:22going to India and wants to see the Indian domestic circuit thrive, it's not ideal. But at least
05:29they've got some cricket and that's the main thing. I absolutely agree with you. In fact, I would be
05:33the first person to put my hand up and say I would want to watch Elisa Healey play in this competition
05:38because the final innings, I mean, she's a star. We want the best players to play. On the other hand,
05:43having spoken to all the Indian girls, I mean, from Mitali to Jhulan, to Veda, to Smriti, to everyone,
05:48I know exactly what you said, that the England match is getting cancelled and I was getting calls.
05:53Do you know what's happening? Do you know what's happening? When are we playing? So, they were
05:57itching to go out there. So, they need something for them. I mean, it's a strange one. And I hope
06:03this doesn't happen again because we need all tournaments and at a spaced out manner so that
06:08we get maximum, maximum cricket. Your thoughts on Beyond the Boundary? I mean, the docu, I was,
06:14firstly, your dresses were beautiful. Having said that, that comment about Thailand, that, you know,
06:20they bring a smile to your face. And when I see that, you were saying that in February, March.
06:26And when I see that in context, six months down the line, that smile means a hell lot more to each
06:32one of us. The pandemic has robbed us of that smile. So, if anyone can bring a smile to our
06:37face, whether it's Chantham, whether it's Tipo, whether it's anyone, it means a hell lot. So,
06:42your thoughts on that docu? It was an interesting one because it was originally just for an ICC kind
06:48of TV, you know, recapturing basically, hopefully, a really momentous moment in women's cricket.
06:55The fact that they were trying to break the world record, got very close with the 86,000,
07:02but still ticked so many boxes. And I think the main thing is, in this pandemic, everyone's been
07:09thriving, wanting live sport. But you know what? The last kind of real ICC event, big event,
07:17where there was a huge crowd, was that T20 World Cup. So, I think everyone, even the Indians,
07:22I know that probably didn't want to watch the final, they've all watched it and they've all
07:27enjoyed it because it takes us down memory lane when things were really good, things were exciting,
07:32life was kind of normal. So, I think the timing of that documentary was perfect. Ideally, as they
07:38move forward and the ICC start to realise there is an appetite for women's sport and women's live
07:46events, hopefully, the documentary for the next World Cup or the next T20 World Cup, they'll be
07:51able to invest a bit more money to not only follow four teams, but to follow all of the teams
07:57and maybe have a little mini-series of each one in their road. Because everyone goes through a
08:04different journey in an ICC event. There are so many dramas within that little nucleus of players.
08:12And it'd be great to share it with the rest of the world that are starting to really fall in love
08:17with women's cricket. Now, if I can ask you, as a broadcaster, I mean, when we take a look at
08:23world sport, be it the Bundesliga, be it the Serie A, be it the La Liga, be it the IPL, I mean, all of
08:29these leagues at the start had a bit of a hiccup. You know, there were some tests which came positive
08:33before the bio-bubbles were put in place. And eventually all got sorted. We saw live sport back.
08:38We've seen that happen with the Chennai Super Kings 12-13 cases. Does that make you apprehensive
08:44of the IPL? For example, I am not. I mean, I think this has happened at the start. The bio-bubble is
08:49now in place. They will get it right. They will be in quarantine. Tests will be done. People will move
08:53on. So the question is, are you alarmed? Are you worried at the same time? Or do you think, no,
09:00this actually emphasises the importance of the bio-bubble and how sacrosanct it should be
09:04and the tournament should go on as planned? I think it's just reflective of this pandemic
09:10worldwide. Now I'm fortunate. I'm in Australia where the numbers are really low compared to
09:16obviously India, America, Brazil, those type of places. This virus is able to transmit so easily.
09:24So people flying across to Dubai, people travelling in airports, people coming in close proximity,
09:33there's going to be some level of exposure. The great thing about the bio-bubble is once you're
09:38there, you get the tests and then you've got to isolate. And once you're there, hopefully,
09:44fingers crossed, and we've seen in other sports as well, once you're in it for a while,
09:50then everyone can kind of go on with playing the sport, playing the tournament, playing the series
09:55that they need. But there is going to be hiccups, but there's hiccups around us constantly. So we're
10:01going to have to keep adapting. And this is the new norm, unfortunately. If I can sort of push
10:06you a little bit more on, I mean, I'm in touch with a number of leading players and I've been
10:10asking this question that, you know, you get yourself quarantined and it applies to you also
10:14as a broadcaster, whenever you decide to travel next. Lisa Guha was telling me, you can't go out
10:18for a meal. There is only a half an hour window during, you know, when you're staying in the same
10:22hotel. So it's a very rigid new normal. I mean, to what extent, while we all want sport back,
10:29it is an industry and it far outweighs any other consideration. What do you think is the impact on
10:34mental health and how significant is that? I mean, are we at one level treating players,
10:39commentators, all of the stakeholders here as robots and not perhaps are showing adequate
10:44importance to mental health? Or how do we deal with that challenge of this kind of bio bubble
10:49for 85 days? It's a fine line. You know, my last game that I covered was the T20 World Cup final,
10:57so 8th of March, and I've been out of work. I've lost months of work. I am going over to the IPL.
11:03Obviously, I have to quarantine, I think, six or seven days there. And then when I come back,
11:07two weeks, and that's for a period of maybe three weeks of work. So three weeks in quarantine,
11:12three weeks of work, six weeks in total, really. You talk about mental health, the mental health
11:19of people not having work, not having an income, not being able to pay the bills. Like I said,
11:25it's a fine line. So I'm going stir crazy. I need to get back out on the road. How will I cope in
11:31quarantine? I don't know. I'm gonna have to figure it out. Two weeks, even though when I've landed
11:37in Australia, and I'll be in a hotel in my home city, paying $3,000 for it, for that experience,
11:45you know, I've got to fork that out. I've got to keep myself entertained. This is where you require
11:50really close friends, family, to be able to keep you entertained whilst you're in quarantine.
11:55Hopefully, work will be busy enough for me to keep myself occupied. Otherwise, I'm quite happy
12:01to do Zoom chats every day if you want to buy the time. I was chatting with Sachin, who was on my
12:07show, actually, Inspiration, the other day, and we were talking about the IPL, that it's not only about
12:12the Virat Kohli and the MS Dhoni, it is also about, take the media fraternity, you, me, each of us have
12:17been out of incomes and livelihoods and work. And it is important for the fraternity for sports to
12:22come back. I mean, in that sense, Sachin's comment was that, look, we will talk about numbers, but
12:27different numbers, not cases and recoveries, but about scoring rates and asking rates. And it will
12:31be bringing positivity back, at least a semblance of positivity back. That while correctives, yes,
12:37but alarm, no. I mean, we need sport back for this larger industry to survive. And I thought
12:43that is what the IPL is all about. Would you agree? Sport brings people together.
12:48It brings people from all different cultures, backgrounds, race, religion, everything.
12:54And probably in this time when we've had, obviously, the Black Lives Matter movements,
13:00we need some positivity. Sport allows us that because, you know, there is a winner, there is a
13:06loser. From a territorial point of view, you have your team, you want to cheer for them. And sometimes
13:14it takes you away from what your reality is. And like I said, sport really does bring us all
13:21together. Like even for all of us as broadcasters and crew members, it's a family away from home.
13:28And I haven't seen my second family for months. So it does bring us all together. And it will
13:35certainly help everyone's mood. Obviously, the IPL is the biggest T20 domestic competition in the
13:40world. The best players go there. Everyone wants to be a part of it. So not only will it help,
13:46you know, the billions of people over in India to kind of focus on something other than
13:50COVID case numbers, you know, in the 70,000s per day, it will get them to focus on something
13:57a little bit more positive to be able to get through this difficult time. My last question,
14:03and this is a personal one, what are you feeling? I mean, you'll get on a flight again to do what
14:07you love to do at the same time. The world is a very different world. You've got to wear masks
14:12and sanitizers and N95 and quarantine and all of that. Give me your sense. Is it apprehension?
14:18Is it butterflies in your tummy when you get into that commentary box, which is a changed,
14:22socially distanced commentary box? What's your sense? I'm looking forward to it, to be honest.
14:27Like I said, I've been going stir crazy. Yeah, it's going to be a different world.
14:31Harsha Bhogle and myself won't be able to go shopping in the airport. So I would imagine
14:36that most of the shops are shut down. And there won't be that many people there. It is going to
14:41be different COVID tests. I think we'd have to do a number of tests, not only before, but
14:46also whilst we're there. So a bit of a brain tickle regularly. So it is going to be different,
14:52but I think, and I'm going to have to get back to you on how I really do cope,
14:59but I think it's going to be a positive thing for me to see all of the people that I have missed.
15:05Like I live at home by myself. And obviously there were certain points here in Australia
15:10where we were on lockdown and we couldn't have any family or friends here. So I was all by
15:15myself. So I'm looking forward to interacting with people, even if it's through a glass and
15:22we can just wave, we can't hug or anything like that. But at least the interaction between other
15:28human beings is what I'm craving. Absolutely agree. In fact, I can't agree more. I think
15:34it'll be a great experience. We once fought back for me. This is actually an opportunity,
15:39an opportunity. I was having a chat with Starsports boss Uday Shankar saying, look,
15:44I mean, what we've done in the past is we've only focused on the stadium, but with technology,
15:49you're expanding the fan base in a manner that you're integrating fans from around the world.
15:53So when science eventually wins and science will, pandemics have always come and gone.
15:58We will have a world where sport is stronger, sport is bigger, sport is better. And I'm
16:04confident Lisa, you will have a bigger role to play coming months in the better world that we
16:11will have in maybe 21. But for the moment, wish you more power, more strength, more commitment
16:16to your cause. And once again, many congratulations for doing tremendous service to the game. Thank
16:21you very much for being part of this. Thanks for having me.