<P> The India women's national cricket team, nicknamed the Women in Blue, represents the country of India in international women's cricket . One of eight teams competing in the ICC Women's Championship, the highest level of international women's cricket, the team is governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). </P> <P> India made its Test debut in 1976, against the West Indies, and its One Day International (ODI) debut at the 1978 World Cup, which it hosted . The team has made the World Cup final on two occasions, losing to Australia by 98 runs in 2005, and losing to England by 9 runs in 2017 . India has made the semi-finals on three other occasions, in 1997, 2000, and 2009 . India has also made the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 on two occasions (2009 and 2010), but is yet to progress any further in the tournament . </P> <P> The British brought cricket to India in the early 1700s, with the first cricket match played in 1721 . The first Indian cricket club was established by the Parsi community in Bombay, in 1848; the club played their first match against the Europeans in 1877 . The first official Indian cricket team was formed in 1911 and toured England, where they played English county teams . The India team made their Test debut against England in 1932 . Around the same time (1934), the first women's Test was played between England and Australia . However, women's cricket arrived in India much later; the Women's Cricket Association of India was formed in 1973 . The Indian women's team played their first Test match in 1976, against the West Indies . India recorded its first - ever Test win in November 1978 against West Indies under Shantha Rangaswamy's captaincy at the Moin - ul - Haq Stadium in Patna . </P> <P> As part of the International Cricket Council's initiative to develop women's cricket, the Women's Cricket Association of India was merged with the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2006 . </P>

When did women's cricket start in india