Bilaspur: What started as the story of a young girl challenging the belief that cricket is “not a girl’s game” has now taken shape on the cricket field. Inspired by the Kusum’s Adventurous Innings comic book, the Rise Premier League (RPL) has been launched as India’s first organised mixed-gender cricket league for government school youth.
The league brings together girls and boys from 12 government schools across Bilha Block, giving them an opportunity to play as equal teammates while applying skills such as confidence, teamwork, communication and leadership developed through Girl Rising’s RISE curriculum.
Through 30 interactive RISE sessions, teachers incorporate social-emotional learning, leadership, gender equality, digital and AI skills, financial literacy and climate awareness into classroom education.
Organised by the Girl Rising India Foundation in partnership with the Samarpit Centre for Poverty Alleviation and Social Research, with support from HP and the HP Foundation, the RPL aims to turn the cricket field into an extension of the classroom. The mixed-gender format allows girls and boys to bat, bowl, field and make decisions together, challenging traditional gender stereotypes around participation in sport.
The idea for the league was inspired by Kusum’s Adventurous Innings, a comic featured in the RISE curriculum. It follows a girl who wants to play cricket despite social expectations that the sport is “not for girls”. Inspired by the story, Girl Rising organised a mixed-gender cricket match on International Day of the Girl in 2025. The strong response from students led to the creation of the annual Rise Premier League.
Launched on the eve of International Youth Day on August 11, the league will run until October 10, ahead of International Day of the Girl. Four mixed-gender teams will compete in league-stage matches, with the finalists advancing to the championship.
The initiative will also bring together parents, teachers, district education officials and local communities, creating a platform to celebrate girls’ participation in sport and encourage wider conversations around gender equality, inclusion and youth development.