Zaheer Khan Expects WPL To Foster Top-tier Talent For Indian Women's Cricket Team
Mumbai Indians defeated Gujarat Giants in the WPL opener [Source: Twitter]
Former Indian pace bowler and current Head of Global Cricket Operations for the Mumbai Indians, Zaheer Khan, expressed his anticipation for the Women's Premier League, noting that the franchise-based T20 league would facilitate the evolution of Indian cricket and the cultivation of more players capable of performing on the grand stage.
The veteran pacer contended that the Indian women's team has been consistent on the international stage, although it has been unable to surmount the final hurdle in tournaments like the World Cup.
He expressed confidence that the team would inevitably overcome this barrier, citing their recent U19 Women's World Cup triumph.
Additionally, the erstwhile cricketer attributed this progress to the infrastructure and knowledge imparted to the players through tournaments like the WPL.
"Exposure to some of the best players is something which will in turn translate into producing, even more, better-prepared players for international cricket. That's the exciting part and the results of that will definitely be seen in a couple of years at the international level for sure," Zaheer told Sports 18.
The IPL, which commenced in 2008, has substantially enhanced the Indian cricket landscape, and Zaheer hoped that the Women's Premier League would endure by discovering more budding talents at the grassroots level.
He emphasised that this event must persist beyond its brief 2-3 week duration and that groundwork should be established to support its continuation throughout the year.
The southpaw was hopeful that the administrative aspects of sustaining the WPL would be addressed by the BCCI and that the outcomes of these initiatives would be manifested in due course.
The inaugural iteration of the WPL commenced with an illustrious opening ceremony at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
It was followed by the season opener between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, where the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side registered a thumping 143-run win to kick off the competition in a grand manner.
 "Jatin")