#JerseyKnowsNoGender: Kohli Calls on India to Back Women in Blue
The men’s captain starts a campaign to get India behind the women’s team for the WT20 - top sportspersons join in.
The Indian team is through to the semi-finals of the year’s biggest cricket event. It’s not the team which is led by Virat Kohli – but that isn’t stopping the men’s captain from issuing a rally-the-troops call to the country.
In a gesture which is bound to create a social media ‘movement’ of sorts, Kohli has called out to followers of Indian sport to come out in vociferous support of the Women in Blue, who qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 in West Indies with victory over Ireland on Thursday, 15 November.
Weâre on our way to the semi-finals.. and itâs time to back Team India to bring home the World Cup! #JerseyKnowsNoGenderðª
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 15, 2018
I nominate @RishabPant777, @NSaina, @chetrisunil11 and all of you to join in. Wear your jerseys and strike the pose to cheer them on! ð@Uber_India #WT20 pic.twitter.com/cVFhOYjXfX
I’m super proud of our girls, wearing our colours and playing their hearts out. Representing your country, and wearing this jersey, is a proud moment. This jersey doesn’t care who you are, where you come from, and what your gender is. Hold up your arm in support of Team India in the West Indies.Virat Kohli
Kohli, who along with the rest of the men’s team embarked upon the much-awaited tour of Australia on Thursday, nominated India team-mate Rishabh Pant, Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri, and badminton star Saina Nehwal to kick-start the #JerseyKnowsNoGender campaign – basically calling upon India to cheer for the women’s team as they aim to bring home a maiden ICC title.
It didn’t take long for the word to spread...
Team India is on top of its game, truly taking on the world. #JerseyKnowsNoGender ðª Let's cheer them on all the way @PankajAdvani247 @GuttaJwala @rinoanto and you, reading this! Wear your jersey or just wear blue, strike the pose and share your wishes. @Uber_India @ICC #W20 pic.twitter.com/F3qyXEm0Jc
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) November 16, 2018
#JerseyKnowsNoGenderðª I'm going to be cheering Team India on! @MirzaSania @klrahul11 @HimaDas8 and each one of you â itâs time to wear your jerseys or our blue tonight, strike the pose and show your support. Great initiative by @Imvkohli and @Uber_India @ICC #WT20 pic.twitter.com/zG0aFT5M01
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) November 15, 2018
#JerseyKnowsNoGenderðª I'm going to be cheering Team India on! @MangteC, @itsSSR, @hardikpandya7 and each one of you â itâs time to wear your jerseys or our blue tonight, strike the pose and show your support. Great initiative by @Imvkohli and @Uber_India @ICC #WT20 @ImVkohli pic.twitter.com/W3GpWQnG5D
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) November 15, 2018
Rishabh Pant heeded his captain’s call immediately, and, perhaps excitedly, opted to add women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur to the thread – which elicited a tongue-in-cheek response from the ICC World T20’s official Twitter handle!
Harmanpreet's a bit busy right now, but we're sure she'll take you up on it after the game ð #JerseyKnowsNoGender
— ICC World Twenty20 (@WorldT20) November 15, 2018
Credit to Harmanpreet, though: she didn’t take too long to respond!
#JerseyKnowsNoGender ðª
— Harmanpreet Kaur (@ImHarmanpreet) November 16, 2018
The love & support flooding social media is overwhelming. Feels great to have cemented another win & we promise to do you proud.Your support has charged us up and we are raring to go.This one's for you India! @JemiRodrigues @imVkohli @Uber_India @ICC #WT20 pic.twitter.com/iOskuaWXB4