NEW DELHI: The third season of the Women’s Delhi Premier League (DPL) is set to begin on Thursday. What began with a relatively small pool of players has evolved into a much broader ecosystem, with increasing participation, a deeper talent pool and stronger performances across age groups.
When the Women’s DPL was introduced, around 80 players registered for the auction, with 78 players required to fill the four squads. Three seasons later, Delhi’s domestic women’s cricket structure now featuring 48 club teams and a database of more than 700 players.
“The most encouraging aspect for us is that the growth of women’s cricket in Delhi is not limited to numbers. When we started the Women’s DPL, we wanted to create a platform where players could get regular competitive cricket and an opportunity to showcase themselves. Today, we are seeing a much larger pool of players coming through the system, and that tells us that the pathway is working,” Rohan Jaitley, President, Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), said.
The body also organises the DDCA Women’s League, where players get an opportunity to perform and showcase their talent. Based on their performances, promising players are shortlisted for the DPL auction, giving them an opportunity to be picked by teams and take the next step in their cricketing journey.
“The most important thing is that we are creating more opportunities for women cricketers to play competitive cricket and prove themselves. The journey from the DDCA Women’s League to the DPL is giving players a clear pathway, and we are seeing more and more talented players come through that system,” Shikha Kumar, Vice President of DDCA, said.
The growth has also been reflected in the latest DPL auction, which saw a significantly larger pool of players putting their names forward, highlighting the increasing interest among women cricketers to compete at a higher level and use the league as a pathway to progress.
The impact of the growing ecosystem is also being seen in performances on the field. Delhi’s senior women recently ended a 14-year wait for silverware by winning the 2025–26 Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, while the state’s younger players have also continued to make their presence felt, with Delhi finishing runners-up in the 2023–24 Women’s Under-23 T20 Trophy. “For us, this is the most important measure of progress. It is one thing to see more players registering and more teams participating, but the real success is when that increased participation starts to translate into quality and performance. Delhi winning the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy after 14 years was a very special moment, and the performances of our younger teams also show that there is considerable talent coming through,” Jaitley added.
Role of DPL
The Women’s DPL has played an important role in providing players with exposure to a competitive franchise environment, while also allowing emerging cricketers to perform alongside and against established names.
“The growth we are seeing in women’s cricket is a result of creating the right platforms at the right stages. The DDCA Women’s League gives players the opportunity to perform, while the DPL gives them a bigger platform to showcase their ability. Our focus is to keep strengthening this pathway so that more players can progress and represent Delhi at the highest level,” Ashok Sharma, Secretary, DDCA, said.
Jaitley believes the progress made so far is only the beginning of a much larger journey for women’s cricket in the capital.
“We have seen the numbers grow, we have seen the quality improve and, most importantly, we have started seeing the results. The objective is to continue expanding the ecosystem, provide more women cricketers with meaningful opportunities, and create an environment where the next generation of Delhi players can aspire to play at the highest level," he explained.
