If the Women's Premier League (WPL) is anything to go by, the sheer prominence the tournament has brought the women’s game in the country is unlike anything previously imagined
Mumbai Indians (Pic Courtesy: AFP)
Giant billboards showcasing female cricketers occupying pride of place anywhere in India is a rarity. Yet several outdoor advertisements, featuring the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Alyssa Healy, find shelter in places of prominence, railway stations included, in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. If the Women's Premier League (WPL) is anything to go by, the sheer prominence the tournament has brought the women’s game in the country is unlike anything previously imagined. The jaw-dropping reach of the competition in its inaugural season has left an indelible impact on the world and the minds of little girls across the country in particular.
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The past month saw a long-awaited breaking of the glass ceiling in the context of Indian women cricketers, who finally were blessed with an opportunity to claim franchise T20 riches just like the men did 15 years ago. Moreover, stadiums remained congested for the majority of the matches, as fans and certain self-proclaimed experts flocked to see the world’s top female cricketers go toe to toe, as the encounter varied wildly with unpredictable results. However, the road ahead is certainly a long one for the cash-rich tournament to cement its position as viable rather than a short-lived phenomenon.
Also Read: WPL 2023 concludes with promise of changing Indian cricket for better
The inaugural season has had several examples of domestic talent benefitting from exposure to the international stage, and this is just the beginning, as the tournament is set to be played in the home-away format from the next edition onwards with a bigger window in February, revealed a source in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on conditions of anonymity. The 2023 edition of the tournament was held here from March 4-26 across two venues in Mumbai.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had earlier told that tournament will remain a five-team competition for the next three seasons and it will be staged in the home and away format. "Well begun is half done. It has been a great beginning for WPL and going forward it is going to be much better than what we have seen so far. We have started with five teams but going forward there is scope for additional team given the pool of the players that is going to come in the years to follow. 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. From a fan engagement point of view it is very important that we go for home and away format,” Dhumal told PTI.
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