• RCB appointed Sania Mirza as mentor for their women's team ahead of the WPL in 2023

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    RCB appointed Sania Mirza as mentor for their women's team ahead of the WPL in 2023
    Sania Mirza has been named as the RCB women's team's mentor ahead of the inaugural Women's Premier League season...

    Digital Desk: Ace Tennis player Sania Mirza has been named coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore women's squad in the Women's Premier League. On Wednesday, the RCB's official Twitter account verified the news.

    "A pioneer in Indian sports for women, a young icon, someone who has played bold and broken barriers throughout her career, and a champion on and off the field. We are delighted to welcome Sania Mirza as the mentor of the RCB women's cricket squad," the RCB said in a statement.

    "I was astonished, but I was excited. For better or worse, I've been a professional athlete for the past 20 years. My next job is to attempt to convince young women and young girls that sports may be one of their first professional options," Mirza stated in a post-appointment interview with RCB.

    When asked what she would offer to the Royal Challengers, Mirza responded that dealing with pressure is essential in any sport and that she will work with the players on their mental side.  

    Sania's remarks on similarities between Cricket and Tennis:

    "There are so many similarities" (between cricket and tennis). Every athlete thinks the same way and is subjected to the same amount of pressure. Simply dealing with and embracing difficult conditions is critical.
    Pressure is a privilege; if you don't accept it, you won't be able to flourish at it. The greatest champions are those who can deal with pressure," Mirza stated. 

    "That factor of the mental aspect is something I look forward to working with the girls. If the IPL can do for women's cricket what it has done for men's cricket, sports can become a good substitute for young girls."

    In the WPL auction on February 13, RCB made history by purchasing Smriti Mandhana for INR 3.4 crore; the team also purchased Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh, and Richa Ghosh, among other notable names.