BCCI is planning to launch six-team Women's IPL from next season: Reports

It’s the end of our wait for the Women’s Indian Premier League as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has started planning a full-fledged WIPL tournament, which will feature as many as six teams in the inaugural season.  

The much-awaited tournament featuring the best of the women’s cricketers will see a franchise-based model. Women cricketers so far in India have been playing the three-team Women’s Challenger Trophy, which is being played for four days and doesn’t follow a franchise concept.

The BCCI has been heavily criticised for not organising the full-fledged Women’s IPL. Women’s cricket has been extensively popularised, with several Women T20 tournaments going around globally. 

The craze for franchise cricket has been high since the inception of the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia and, recently, the Women’s Hundred tournament in England. 

Even Cricket West Indies recently announced a three-team Women’s CPL alongside the Men’s CPL, while the Pakistan Cricket Board has also been mulling over the same.  

Following the international pressure, India’s governing board has finally proposed a full-fledged Women’s IPL in last month’s Governing Council Meeting.

“Women’s IPL is very much on from next year. We are already working on the plan on how many teams we can have and what window is going to sue because we have the men’s IPL as well. As of now can’t share many details, but yes, we are excited about this league. 

“Some franchises have already shown interest and are very keen to be part of this tournament. We are planning to have six teams to start with an auction process and other important aspects of the tournament,” a BCCI source told ANI. 

However, the BCCI needs to explore the available window to conduct the six-team tournament successfully in 2023. With the franchise model, the Women’s tournament will certainly help the Indian ladies in cultivating local talent, which will surely help team India in the future.  

“See as of now, everything is just on paper. It will take time to streamline everything; there are many aspects that need to be taken care of, proper planning, auctions, teams, etc., but yes, we might start the Women’s IPL in August, but again it’s completely tentative; once everything it will be discussed and we will make an official announcement. This matter will also be discussed in the AGM to stamp it officially,” added the BCCI source.

Earlier several reports suggested that some of the current IPL owners looked interested in investing in Women’s teams. For example, Punjab Kings’ co-owner Ness Wadia showed interest in buying a Women’s IPL team.