Richa Ghosh to get rare honour untouched by even Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni: “Richa Cricket Stadium” in plans

Richa Ghosh’s rise from Siliguri prodigy to World Cup hero has already changed the way India looks at women’s cricket. Her match-defining 94 against South Africa when India were 102/6, her clean ball-striking at the death, and her calm presence behind the stumps made her one of the defining faces of India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph. At just 22, she has become the emblem of a new, fearless generation that expects to win global trophies rather than merely compete for them.

Now, as recent reports suggest, that breakthrough is set to be carved into the hills of North Bengal. West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has announced plans for a new cricket stadium in Darjeeling to be named after Richa Ghosh - a move that could make it the first full cricket stadium in India named after a woman cricketer.

Accolades and awards for a World Cup winner

Speaking at a felicitation ceremony for the wicketkeeper-batter, Banerjee said the state has around 27 acres of land in Darjeeling and has asked the local mayor to draw up plans for a cricket stadium there. The proposed name, she said, should be “Richa Cricket Stadium”, so that future generations remember her performance and are inspired by it.

According to the latest reports, the event turned into a broader celebration of Richa’s World Cup heroics. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), led by president Sourav Ganguly, joined the state government in hounouring her. Richa was presented with a gold-plated bat and ball signed by Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami, underlining how quickly she has joined the lineage of Bengal greats in cricket.

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The West Bengal government has gone further than ceremonial gifts. Richa has been conferred the Banga Bhushan award, received a gold chain, and has been appointed a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the state - a recognition of both her sporting impact and her symbolic value as a role model. Ganguly, meanwhile, lauded her temperament and consistency, even calling her a future India captain.

If the Darjeeling project goes ahead as outlined, it would mark an unprecedented moment. India already has stands named after Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami in Visakhapatnam and Kolkata, but a full stadium dedicated to a woman cricketer would be a powerful statement. For young girls from Siliguri to the hills of Darjeeling, Richa Cricket Stadium could become both a destination and a message - that women’s cricket is no longer on the margins, but at the centre of the story.

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