Changing the game for women in sport on International Women's Day

 January 25, 2019

Cricket Australia and International Women's Day (IWD) are teaming up to call on sporting clubs and communities around the world to continue to create gender balance.

When equality exists in sport, gender equality is more likely to prevail in communities overall.

When women are recognised and treated as equals in sport – both on and off the field – this momentum fuels wider change.

Conversely, when women in sport are treated differently to male counterparts, this imbalance is increasingly noticed, and rightly called out.

An amazing world record is in sight

Change can come in many forms. Some change is gradual – incremental gains achieved over time.

At other times however, change can be big, and happen in an instant. For cricket in Australia, a moment like that will occur on International Women’s Day in 2020.

The 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia on Sunday March 8 - International Women's Day 2020. This match has equal billing to the men's final, which will be played at the same ground in November 2020.

With 100,024 seating, the MCG is the world's largest cricket ground by capacity so the countdown is on to break the world record for the highest ever attendance for a standalone women's sporting event worldwide.

This exciting challenge presents an opportunity to change women's equality in sport - and wider afield - forever. Will you support the vision?

How is your sporting community forging a #BalanceforBetter?

Featuring Australian Women’s Cricket Team Captain and world champion Meg Lanning, Cricket Australia and IWD are challenging sporting clubs and communities globally to step forward and share what they are doing to create #BalanceForBetter.

VIDEO: Meg Lanning, Australian Women’s Cricket Team Captain - #BalanceforBetter

"Sports around the world are striving for gender equality .... Let's all help create a balance for better."

Meg Lanning, Australian Women’s Cricket Team Captain

What's your gamechanger?

Throughout 2019, Cricket Australia is focused on building momentum towards this historic moment in time that will see women's equality in sport forged through the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final - a crucial next step towards achieving gender balance in cricket.
 

"Throughout 2019, Cricket Australia is focused on building momentum towards this unique, once-in-a-generation moment in time to push towards cricket’s future as a gender equal sport.”

Sarah Styles, Head of Female Engagement, Cricket Australia

IMAGE: Meg Lanning, Australian Women’s Cricket Team Captain

Did you know?

Major sports in Australia have joined forces to advance equal pay for elite women athletes. The “Pathway To Pay Equality” Report, released in February 2019, details the specific actions needed to close the gender pay gap between male and female athletes in Australia.

A balanced world is a better world

#BalanceforBetter is the 2019 theme of International Women’s Day, highlighting that balance drives a better working world.

What are you doing to create a #BalanceforBetter to show leadership in your sporting community?

Share with us your own International Women's Day 2019 #BalanceforBetter campaign theme activity.