[WATCH] Breast cancer awareness meets cricket as India Women face Australia

On Saturday, September 20, the Indian women’s cricket team will don a special all-pink kit when they take on Australia in the final ODI of the series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The BCCI has confirmed that this is part of a development drive to create awareness about breast cancer, thus providing the series decider with an important social purpose.

In a video posted on BCCI’s social media accounts, the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, and teammates Sneh Rana and Pratika Rawal, unveiled the pink themed jerseys. It read: “#TeamIndia will be wearing special pink coloured jerseys in the Third ODI today to promote Breast Cancer Awareness”. Cricket has previously supported breast cancer awareness, through South Africa’s ‘Pink Day’ at the Wanderers, and IPL teams like Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals adopting Pink kits in previous seasons.

For India, the match is more than a symbolic occasion. With the series levelled at 1-1, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has a rare chance to achieve its first-ever bilateral ODI series victory over Australia. It would be a significant boost of confidence before the Women’s ODI World Cup, which begins in Guwahati on September 30.

ALSO SEE: Experienced match officials set for Women’s World Cup 2025 league stage

The series-deciding match in Delhi is set to combine sporting intensity and social consciousness

India have shown some progress across the series. The top order has provided some solid starts with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal leading the way, and the pace attack has been able to strike at opportune moments, but the middle order continues to be a collaborative effort away from good contributions. A disciplined performance against Australia’s bowling attack could provide India with the belief that they need before heading to a senior global tournament.

Watch the video:

Australia, the current world champions, are keen to rain on the parade. With their depth and experience, Alyssa Healy’s team will not be shy in trying to assert themselves and maintain India’s wait to win their first ODI series.

So far, the series has delivered spectacularly unequal performances/scorelines. Australia chased down India’s 281 run total declared at New Chandigarh with relative ease and composure, since Phoebe Litchfield scored 88 off 76 balls. Then, in the second match, India bounced back to score a colossal team victory, beating Australia by 102 runs with Smriti Mandhana leading the charge with a tough 117. Their bowling was clinical, bowling Australia out for 190.

As Delhi prepares for a serious decider, the pink jersey (rather than uniforms) will send two messages - to draw awareness to the excellent, essential cause and to show that India is serious about creating history on the pitch.