The recent Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Annual General Meeting (AGM) brought some great news for Women’s Cricket in India as the Indian cricket governing body approved the Women’s Indian Premier League (IPL). The first season of competition is set to take place in 2023.
While the dates, format, and structure are yet to be announced, cricket fans are watching with keen eyes to see who ends up buying teams in the WIPL. While it was earlier assumed that the men’s IPL team owners will have a right of first refusal, that is unlikely to be the case.
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson has dropped a major hint that the Bengaluru-based franchise will own a team in the WIPL. Hesson posted a picture from a Senior Women’s T20 league match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and revealed RCB scouts are at the stadium. “Our scouts are in the house. We don’t ignore,’ Hesson wrote on his Instagram story.
The last few days have seen the BCCI take a major step towards the betterment of Women’s cricket in the country. Last week, board secretary Jay Shah announced that the Indian women’s cricket team will be paid the same match fees as their male counterparts. India had become the second country after New Zealand to implement the policy.
The start of the WIPL will come after a long wait and calls to start the league by fans of the game in the country. Both Australia and England have women-based franchise cricket leagues in their roster while West Indies followed suit this year. Even Pakistan has announced the Women’s PSL from next year.
An announcement on the number of teams, format, player auction details is expected soon by the BCCI. The first season will likely take place in March 2023 after the Women’s T20 WC in South Africa.
