Soft power for women

Tribune News Service

Vinayak Padmadeo

Gandhinagar, October 9

As the women’s teams of Punjab and Madhya Pradesh were battling in a crucial softball game at the IIT Gandhinagar campus, a Maharashtra boy was keeping a close watch on the proceedings.

Kalpesh Kolhe, a softball player who has the role of a catcher in his team, was watching from the sidelines, trying to read the game.

This is softball, where women rule. A variant of baseball, softball retains the essence of the sport, with a few changes — the bat is larger, the field of play is smaller and the pitcher throws the ball underhand.

Some of the players from these two teams will be part of the Indian women’s team at next year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou. It will be India’s debut in Asian Games softball. The men’s softball team will be forced to watch them make history.

Meanwhile, the game got tighter and the 26-year-old Kolhe said, “Punjab will win. They have a better all-round team.” This was when the team was trailing 0-1. His words came true as Punjab wrapped up a 3-2 win with clinical efficiency.

No Oly for men

Kolhe and his teammates from Maharashtra and the senior Indian team are envious of the national women’s team.

The merger of the International Baseball Federation and International Softball Federation, forming the World Baseball Softball Confederation, has opened new doors for some, closed some for the others.

The two international federations came together in an effort to win a place back in the Olympics sports programme after they missed two back-to-back Olympic Games in London and Rio de Janeiro.

Odd rule

As part of the deal, the men play baseball in the Olympics while the women take part in softball. For the Indian men, this is a bitter pill to swallow.

The men get to play all other international championships, like the World Cups and the Asian Championships, and they routinely go on tour. The U-22 men’s team won a bronze medal only last month in Japan.

The realisation that they will never figure in the Olympics or the Asian Games sticks out during conversations.

“It is a little odd that the men’s team cannot take part in the Asian Games or the Olympics. These two events are the biggest stages for all, but what can we do about it? Nothing,” Kolhe said.

“I just hope that in future the officials would give us a chance to play at the Asian Games. My only motivation now is to get a medal and, with it, a job in my state,” he added.

Softball Association of India president Neetal Narang is aware of the frustration of the men’s team.

“At the international level, it is a singular body, the World Baseball Softball Confederation. So men play baseball and women play softball. Having said so, the men’s team does get to play a lot,” Narang said.

“They won a bronze medal recently. We take good care of them but I do agree that if it comes to something as significant as the Olympics, they miss out. I will talk to the officials so that both men and women get a chance to show their performances,” he added.

Good facilities

Some male softball players like Haryana captain Chirag Sangwan are not affected at all and are happy that the sport has given them recognition. The 22-year-old, who has represented the country and has already become a coach in Rohtak, said the team gets to play many international matches, and this gives the players some satisfaction.

“We travel well. We are generally housed in 5-star hotels. The best of the facilities are provided to us. What more do we need?” Sangwan said.

“Yes, we will not play at the Asian Games like the women’s team, but we play everything like the World Cup, Asia Cup and other tournaments. I have already been paid the prize money by my state and I am due some more again. This is enough, I think,” he said.

Kolhe and a few others may not agree with Sangwan.

Services maintain lead

Gandhinagar: Services continued their dominance at the National Games by swelling their medal count to 113, including 51 gold. Haryana (31 gold) and Maharashtra (29) continued their fight for the second place. Puducherry today became the 28th team to win at least one gold in the Games. pti

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