free hit noun (in limited-overs cricket) an opportunity to strike the ball without the possibility of being bowled or caught out, following a no-ball. I don t think women should be playing cricket. We re just doing this because it s an ICC rule. A former BCCI board president The 2017 ICC Women s Cricket World Cup saw the Indian team make it to the finals, and although it lost the game, the tournament marked an unprecedented high for viewership for women s cricket in India. The ensuing euphoria that followed, including the announcement of two film-deals with the team s leading stars, ensured that the only direction where Indian women s cricket could go from here was up. Free Hit is the untold story of how women s cricket in India got here, and casts light on the gender-based pay gaps, sponsorship challenges, and the sheer indifference of cricketing officials it faced along the way. Focusing on Mithali Raj, the world s greatest female batsman, and Jhulan Goswami, the leading wicket taker in women s cricket, author Suprita Das takes us into the lives of the spirited bunch of women who, across the years, just like their male counterparts, also brought home laurels that are worth celebrating. Meticulously researched and featuring interviews with from BCCI officials, former cricketers, historians and the present players of the team, Free Hit takes us deep into the heart of women s cricket in India.