The immediate focus of the newly formed foundation, with former Indian pace bowler Manpreet Singh Gony among its trustees, is to raise a women’s team in Mohali under its ‘She Leads Cricket’ initiative
A host of women cricketers from Punjab and Chandigarh have performed admirably for the country in international cricket over the years, notable among them Harmanpreet Kaur, Taniya Bhatia, Amanjot Kaur and Harleen Deol. With Harmanpreet Kaur leading the Indian team to its historic maiden World Cup title victory in the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup, women’s cricket in the country has been elevated to the next level.
But sadly, in Punjab, women’s cricket has yet to come of age due to a multiplicity of factors, including continuing social and financial barriers. A glaring reflection of this on the ground is the complete absence of a women’s team of any age group in Mohali, the cradle of cricket in the state, boasting two world class cricket stadiums.
Considering the vast opportunities which are opening for women cricketers in the country, with a running women’s league (WPL) and women now getting match fee equal to their men counterparts, a group of concerned citizens have come together to do something about it.
So, a physical education expert, a former Indian male pacer, and others, including businessmen, have joined hands to start a sports foundation – the MGMK Sports Empowerment Foundation Trust – to identify and support talented cricket playing girls at the grassroots level in Punjab with free coaching and other financial backing under a ‘She Leads Cricket’ initiative.
The launch of the sports foundation was formally announced at a news conference in Chandigarh on Wednesday (22.07.2026) by its chairperson Manmohan Kaur, a sports professional with over 23 years of experience in physical education and sports development; and President Manpreet Singh Gony, former Indian pace bowler. Other trustees present were Sukhpreet Singh, J.P. Singh (both businessmen) and Suresh Kumar Bhuria, advocate & tax consultant.
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Says Manmohan Kaur, “our vision is to create equal opportunities for girls from the weaker sections of society in cricket and develop the next generation of women cricketers from Punjab.
“Promising young cricketers will be identified through structured selection programmes. Selected girls will receive cricket kits, free-of-cost professional cricket coaching, fitness training, expert mentoring, personality development, and opportunities to compete at district, state, and national levels. The initiative aims to ensure that every talented girl receives the guidance and platform she deserves to fulfil her sporting aspirations,” she adds.
As a first step, the foundation is in talks with a few schools in Mohali to strike partnerships for starting a cricket academy for girls from economically weaker sections (EWS). Later it plans to expand its operations to other areas of Punjab.
Sharing further details, Manpreet Singh Gony says, “In the initial stages we plan to scout for talent with the purpose of identifying around 20 girls in the age group 10-18 years. They will be provided professional training with the purpose of preparing them for selection to represent Mohali district in state level tournament/s and later climbing the success ladder.
“Punjab has always produced exceptional sporting talent. Through this initiative, we aim to build a strong grassroots cricket structure that prepares young girls to represent their school, district, state, and ultimately India. With the right coaching, mentorship, and opportunities, we can create the next generation of women cricket champions,” he further states.
The trustees are of the view that MGMK Sports Empowerment Foundation Trust is more than an organisation, it’s planned to develop into a movement dedicated to empowering girls, promoting fitness, encouraging leadership, and strengthening society through sports. They are inviting schools, higher educational institutions, corporates, sports organisations, and the people of Punjab at large to join hands with them in making ‘She Leads Cricket’ a transformative mission for the future of girls’ cricket
