WPL: BCCI plans to introduce home and away format from 2024

After the resounding success of the first season of Women's Premier League, new innovations and strategies to expand the reach of the tournament are being devised by the BCCI. In a bid to make the tournament travel to cricket fans in various parts of the country, BCCI is also considering the introduction of the home-and-away format in WPL. Notably, the first season of the tournament which garnered immense popularity, was played only in two venues in Mumbai. 

The IPL Chairman was seen emphasizing the fact that having home venues would help teams build their fanbase and it would also work to increase the already strengthened popularity of the tournament. 

Dhumal has also made it clear that the number of teams won't expand and would remain locked at five for the next three years. However, he made sure to mention that BCCI is looking for the tournament to expand and will include more teams in the near future, but not in the next three years. A call regarding the time slot also needs to be taken next year to ensure the smooth running of the WPL. 

"Well begun in half done. It has been a great beginning for WPL and going forward, it is going to be much better than what we have see so far. We have started with five teams but going forward there is scope for additional teams given the pool of players that is going to come in the years to follow," said Dhumal.

"We are hoping increase in the number of teams but for the coming three seasons will remain five. We are surely looking at home and away format, we will see which time slot is available considering India's international commitment and take a call," he further added. From a fan engagement point of view it is very important that we go for home and away format," Dhumal told PTI, as reported by India Today. 

'It has been a phenomenal ride so far' - Dhumal reflects on inaugural season's success

Talking about the way things unfolded in the first season, Dhumal expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the league which, however, he also termed as one of the challenging projects of his career. The challenges were primarily posed by the immediate precedence of the Women's T20 World Cup. The BCCI, therefore, had a very constricted space of time to work in which the organisation successfully managed to pull off.

"It has been a phenomenal ride so far and quite a challenging one given the time slot we had to start the WPL. We are satisfied with the way things have progressed, we did not have much of a window as the World Cup was there and the girls had just about a week to come back and start," Dhumal acknowledged.

He also expressed satisfaction over the manner in which the auctions of team rights, media right and finally the players happened and termed it all "phenomenal".

He further said that with the success of the first season, more women are expected to join and expand the pool of cricketers in the subsequent seasons.