BCCI proposes six-team Women's IPL from 2023, existing franchises to be given preference

In a game-changing move, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has proposed a six-team Women’s IPL from next year. The board over the last few years has only staged the Women’s T20 Challenge, the tournament that will also take place during the Men’s IPL this year. But a full-fledged IPL for Women cricket has been in demand for a long time now.

Even Cricket West Indies (CWI) recently announced a three-team Women’s CPL alongside the Men’s CPL while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had also announced similar plans. Consequently, with the likes of WBBL, England’s Women’s T20 League and even the Hundred giving exposure to their cricketers, the pressure was on the BCCI to come up with the WIPL and the board seems to be taking right steps towards it now.

According to Cricbuzz, the decision was taken at the Governing Council (GC) meeting of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai on Friday (March 25) that all efforts will be made in order to begin a six-team Women’s IPL. Moreover, it is also understood that the existing franchises will be given an option to show their interest in creating a Women’s team. However, if that option is exhausted, then the BCCI will be inviting the parties to own the franchises.

WIPL a huge thing for Indian Women’s cricket

Team India is currently in New Zealand featuring in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup and is fighting for a spot in the top four. Several times in the lead up to the mega event, the team lost close matches as they couldn’t respond to pressure situations against the top teams like Australia and England. It all came down to India not having their Women’s IPL where such close games would happen constantly and the players will get used to it.

Australia and England teams have certainly benefitted out of it and the result of the same is to see for everyone at the highest level. The WIPL will certainly help the Indian Women’s cricketers in churning out local talent and in terms of getting over the pressure situations as well. Now that the BCCI has come up with the proposal for the existing franchises, it remains to be seen if the owners show any interest in having their own teams.