Away from fields and chores, rural Pune women step onto the cricket ground

For years, their days revolved around paddy fields, livestock, and kitchens. This season, many women in rural Pune swapped sickles for cricket bats and stepped onto a playground that offered something more than sport, it offered voice, visibility, and leadership.

What began as a simple community cricket match to mark the end of the farming season has evolved into a powerful platform for social change. The tournament was organised by the Cybage Foundation , the CSR arm of IT services company Cybage that works on rural development, sustainable agriculture, education and community empowerment across Maharashtra, and served as the grand finale of its annual CybageAsha Paddy Cup in Bhor and Velhe (Rajgad) talukas.

This year, the event featured 35 men’s teams and 40 women’s teams , reflecting a clear shift in villages where playgrounds were once largely dominated by men.

For many women farmers, it was their first experience of organised sport. But they did more than just play. They captained teams, planned practice sessions, coordinated players, resolved on-field issues, and represented their villages, roles traditionally reserved for men.

“Leading a team gives you confidence. People start listening to you not just during the match, but also in village meetings and farming discussions,” said Swati Zende, captain of one of the winning women’s teams. She added that while victory felt special, participation itself mattered more.

Organisers said the idea grew organically. As farmers worked together through the Paddy Cup’s months-long agricultural programme, teamwork and trust developed in the fields. The cricket tournament was introduced as a celebratory finale to bring communities together, but it soon became a space where women stepped forward and took charge.

The Paddy Cup, held from May to December, promotes sustainable and cost-effective paddy cultivation. Farmers work in groups of ten, follow structured scientific practices, and stay connected with experts through WhatsApp for guidance and knowledge sharing. The programme has helped reduce costs, improve yields, and strengthen cooperation across villages.

More than 4,500 farmers and their families participated in the 2025–26 edition, with top-performing groups receiving financial recognition through a transparent scoring system.

Initially hesitant, families are now among the loudest cheerleaders on the sidelines. What started as a post-harvest game has quietly grown into something bigger, proving that empowerment can begin with something as simple as picking up a bat and walking onto the field.