For any cricketer, the sticker on their bat is more than just a logo; it’s a badge of honor, a symbol of their market value, and a financial lifeline. In the early days of women’s cricket in India, most players used unstickered bats or relied on hand-me-down gear. Bat Sponsors for Women Cricketers in India. Today, that history is firmly in the rearview mirror. The meteoric rise in the team’s performance, coupled with the launch of the WPL, has transformed India’s leading female cricketers into high-value commercial properties.
The result is a highly competitive endorsement market where top brands pay premium prices for the coveted space on the willow. This dynamic shift has made the question of who provides the bat sponsors for women cricketers in India a crucial marker of commercial parity. We dive into the ICONIC brands that have invested in the power of the Indian women’s team and explore how their strategic partnerships are redefining the sport.
The New Gold Standard: Non-Cricket Brands Lead the Way
Historically, bat sponsorship was dominated by traditional equipment makers. While they remain relevant, the biggest growth in the commercial landscape has been driven by global consumer brands looking to align with the success and visibility of the Indian women’s team. This is the defining feature when examining the bat sponsors for women cricketers in India.
1. CEAT: The Pioneer of Parity
CEAT (an Indian tyre manufacturer) holds a special place in the history of bat sponsors for women cricketers in India. In 2018, when Harmanpreet Kaur secured her deal with CEAT, it marked a historic moment: the first major non-cricket brand dedicating its resources to an Indian woman cricketer’s bat.
Today, CEAT sponsors two of the team’s biggest hitters:
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain): The leader and explosive middle-order batter.
- Shafali Verma (Opener): The young, aggressive powerhouse and record-breaker.
CEAT’s strategy is clear: by aligning their logo with both the men’s captain (Rohit Sharma) and the women’s captain (Kaur), they leverage the maximum possible star power, treating both teams as equally valuable assets. This aggressive market strategy has set a new benchmark for bat sponsors for women cricketers in India.
2. SG (Sanspareils Greenlands): The Traditional Mainstay
SG is one of the most respected cricket equipment brands globally and has been a reliable fixture among bat sponsors for women cricketers in India for years. SG represents the bedrock of cricket tradition, and their investment in the women’s team underscores their belief in the sport’s foundation.
- Smriti Mandhana: The star opener is often seen with the SG logo, a symbol of consistent performance and high technique.
- Jemimah Rodrigues: Known for her aggressive stroke play, Rodrigues also carries the SG sticker, cementing the brand’s presence across the team’s batting lineup.
SG’s commitment demonstrates that specialist cricket companies recognize the financial imperative of sponsoring the team’s top run-scorers.
3. PUMA and Global Sportswear Giants
The rise of global sportswear giants like PUMA in the Indian cricket market has brought substantial financial might. PUMA’s deals are often holistic, covering not just the bat sticker, but also apparel, footwear, and equipment sponsorships, creating multi-crore ambassadorships.
- Richa Ghosh: The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter is a prominent face for PUMA, showcasing the brand’s appeal to young, fearless talent.
This trend signals that bat sponsors for women cricketers in India are increasingly moving into the massive, high-budget global sportswear ecosystem, maximizing the players’ brand potential.
The Economic Engine: Why Bat Sponsorship Value Has Soared
The value of the sticker space on the bat of a top Indian woman cricketer today is exponentially higher than it was a decade ago. This rapid inflation is due to three strategic factors:
1. The WPL Visibility Guarantee
The establishment of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) guarantees sponsors an intense, high-visibility platform. Before the WPL, sponsors were reliant only on the intermittent international fixtures. Now, the WPL provides continuous, prime-time television exposure over several weeks annually. A brand paying to be one of the bat sponsors for women cricketers in India during the WPL is getting guaranteed visibility during the most-watched women’s sporting event in the country.
2. The Cricket Star
Players like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur are not just athletes; they are national role models. Their inspiring stories of battling institutional obstacles and achieving global success add immense emotional value to any brand partnership. This “human touch” factor increases their marketability far beyond mere statistics, making the sticker on their bat a powerful aspirational symbol.
3. The Pay Parity Push
The BCCI’s landmark decision to grant equal match fees in 2022 signaled to the corporate world that women’s cricket is financially supported at the highest level. This policy de-risked corporate investment, making it safer for companies to invest large sums in bat sponsors for women cricketers in India, knowing the governing body has affirmed their importance.
Bat Sponsors for Women Cricketers in India in a Snapshot
The convergence of top-tier talent and commercial ambition has created an exciting, lucrative era for the players. The table below summarizes the ICONIC bat sponsors for the current stars:
| Cricketer | Bat Sponsor (Primary) | Brand Type |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | CEAT | Non-Cricket FMCG |
| Smriti Mandhana | SG | Equipment Specialist |
| Shafali Verma | CEAT | Non-Cricket FMCG |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | SG | Equipment Specialist |
| Richa Ghosh | PUMA | Global Sportswear |
The bat sticker has evolved from a simple endorsement to a powerful reflection of equality and market demand. As women’s cricket continues its rapid ascendancy in India, the price paid by the bat sponsors for women cricketers in India will only continue its upward trajectory, making these deals crucial components of their multi-crore annual incomes.
