W hen the Indian women’s cricket team brought home the World Cup, they also brought home a wave of brand deals and bigger endorsement cheques.

The victory turned players into hot property overnight, with brands rushing to sign contracts and boost visibility. But questions remain about whether they are finally following in the footsteps of the men’s team or if this is short-lived hype.

Within a day of the win, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who took the match-sealing catch, signed on as brand ambassador for real-estate developer Omaxe Limited. Since the victory, players including Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma have reportedly seen their endorsement fees rise by 25 per cent to 100 per cent. Some are predicted to sign up to half a dozen brand deals

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