'You need balls': She-led campaign by Puma India

New Delhi: Ahead of the women’s key cricketing season, sports brand PUMA India has launched its campaign with the tagline “You need balls,” featuring Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh, amongst others. The imagery is a mosaic of snippets from the journeys of cricketers, highlighting their record-breaking achievements:

1. It took 115 balls for ace captain Harmanpreet Kaur to stare down Australia and smash an unbeaten 171 runs, propelling an iconic win in 2017. 

2. With only 29 balls, Richa Ghosh smashed her way to a record-breaking 64, becoming the highest-scoring wicketkeeper-batter, against UAE in 2024.

3. It took just 52 skillful balls for Asha Sobhana to make her mark, clinching a 4-wicket haul with a stunning 4/21 on her debut against South Africa in 2024.

4. Hemalatha Dayalan’s unbeaten 41 off 24 nail-biting balls led her team to victory over Bangladesh in 2024.

5. To clinch an unbeaten victory, Sajana Sajeevan needed only 1 ball for a match-winning six at Bengaluru, 2024.

Commenting on the campaign, Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian Cricket Team, & PUMA ambassador, said, “There’s no denying that cricket has historically been a male-dominated sport, but we women are fiercely changing that perception. We’ve been on a mission to shift the narrative since Puma’s groundbreaking "Cricket is everyone's game" campaign, and this fresh take hits home as it reminds everyone of what truly matters in cricket. Whether you're batting, bowling, ‘keeping, or fielding, it’s all about balls. We’re here to change the conversation and show that true glory is earned ball-by-ball.”

Richa Ghosh, wicketkeeper-batter & Puma ambassador, added, “Every ball in cricket presents a new challenge, and that’s what makes the game so exciting. Success is defined by how you handle each ball you face, every time you step onto the field. Whether you’re behind the stumps or at the crease, you need balls to ace the game. I am extremely happy to be a part of such a historic campaign with Puma.”

Apart from Harmanpreet and Richa, the photoshoot also features Sajana Sajeevan, Hemalatha Dayalan, and Asha Sobhana.

With this campaign, Puma India shifts the conversation from tokenism and outdated notions of 'balls' to celebrating the grit, determination, and achievements of our cricketers.

Commenting on the occasion, Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director of Puma India, said: “At Puma India, we have been strongly advocating that "Cricket is everyone's game". Our new campaign powerfully accelerates this belief, headlined by our incredible cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh. Sport is for all and we as a brand will continue to drive change and create inspiration for the future generation of athletes.”

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