How many self-made women country heads have been there?

womens-march-2001566_1280I am not counting Dynasties. If first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had a son, that person would have become PM too. I am also counting the executive head and not the ceremonial one. Like the President of India is a ceremonial head. So how many “self-made” and non-dynastic women have been elected as heads of states of the world’s largest populations?

1. China = NONE (Empress Dowager Cixi who died in 1908, was the closest to controlling China)

2. India = NONE (Indira Gandhi was a dynast)

3. America = NONE (Kamla Harris could become President if Joe Biden retires on health grounds, but that would be an elevation and not a proper election)

4. Indonesia = NONE (Megawati Sukarnoputri was a dynast)

5. Pakistan = NONE (Benazir Bhutto was a dynast)

6. Brazil = Dilma Rousseff (Highest debut on this list, but interestingly she was impeached)

7. Nigeria = NONE

8. Bangladesh = NONE (Both Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina were dynasts)

9. Russia = NONE

10. Mexico = NONE

11.Japan = NONE

12. Ethiopia = NONE

13. Philippines = Corazon Aquino (Her husband was a Senator-Governor, so she did not inherit the post of President from him. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was a dynast.)

14. Egypt = NONE

15. Vietnam = NONE

16. DR Congo = NONE

17. Iran = NONE

18. Turkey = NONE

19. Germany = Angela Merkel (Probably the most powerful in this list considering she ruled for 15+ years)

20. France = NONE (Strange, considering the fact that Europe has had so many women leaders)

If you look at the largest economies, then UK is the best performing with Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

But overall we really have a very long way to go.

What was it about Dhoni then, eh?

cup-1015644_1280As captains…

Sourav Ganguly won exactly Zero finals in tournaments that involved 4 or more teams.

MS Dhoni won 12 finals in tournaments that involved 4 or more teams.

Virat Kohli won exactly Zero finals in tournaments that involved 4 or more teams.

The Dhoni list…

2007 T20 World Cup

2010 Asia Cup

2010 IPL

2010 Champions League Twenty20

2011 ODI World Cup

2011 IPL

2013 Champions Trophy

2014 Champions League Twenty20

2016 Asia Cup

2018 Asia Cup

2018 IPL

2021 IPL

That’s 6 leagues and 6 international tournaments.

Dhoni was also the first captain to take India to the ICC No. 1 rankings in Tests, ODIs and T20s.

Fun fact…
Number of cricketing finals won by Team India in tournaments featuring 4 or more teams from 1996-2021 without Dhoni
= ZERO