WIPL big boost for women’s cricket
The Indian women’s cricket team is on a roll. On Saturday, it won the Asian Cup for the seventh time. It also reflects their steady rise in the world order, where they have been knocking on the doors of excellence. Earlier, the team won silver at the first Commonwealth Games T20 in Birmingham this year and got the better of England in England. The women’s team has been steadily grabbing eyeballs backed by strong results. There is considerable excitement and anticipation every time the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team steps on the greens. Players like the India captain, Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav have become household names and are closely followed.
In this backdrop, the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) proposal for a Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL), on the lines of the men’s circuit, has come as a shot in the arm. Though it is still in the proposal stage, it is expected to be passed at its Annual General Meeting on October 18. The women’s team’s consistent performance appears to have convinced the BCCI to have a parallel IPL for women cricketers. A few indicators point towards the rise of women’s cricket. The BCCI, in its letter to its state units, mentioned the “rise in popularity of women’s cricket in the country mainly due to prominent performances by the Indian team in the world stage...qualifying for semifinals in the 2018 T20 World Cup, final in 2020 and the 2022 CWG silver...” There is talent, and there is a market.
The BCCI has proposed a tournament with five teams and 22 matches. A maximum of five foreign players—including one from associate nations—would be part of an 18-member team. Australia women’s team, considered the best in the world, has benefited from their version of the T20 league, the Big Bash, where top Indian players like Harmanpreet and Mandhana play. More cricket is always good for players. The pool of players will have more variety and depth as the event progresses into new seasons. Women’s cricket will get more popular, drawing more fame and money.
The BCCI has worked out a modality, but it needs fine-tuning, especially the playing window. A lot has already been done for women’s cricket in the last couple of years, but there is scope for more, especially with the possibility of this version making it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.