The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is introducing a six-team Women’s IPL from next year.
At a Governing Council (GC) summit of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai on March 25, a decision has been taken that strategies will be made to begin a franchise-based annual T20 tournament for women cricketers from 2023.
This year’s IPL will feature a traditional three-team Women’s T20 Challenge.
The GC members, who met in person for the first time in over two years, opted to give current IPL franchises first priority in acquiring the teams.
Once that option has been exhausted, outside bidders will be asked to compete for the franchises. A GC member have spoken up to Cricbuzz that the possibility of a six-team league will be explored,
with the first step being to locate a suitable window. “Running the event simultaneously with the men’s IPL may not be doable.
The specifics will be progressed in the days ahead and confirmation of the AGM will be sought,” the GC member clarified.
He revealed that the Women’s T20 Challenge, which would feature three teams and four matches,
will take held during the IPL’s business end this year, most likely in Ahmedabad. Last year, it was not well-organized.
A BCCI office-bearer told recently to Cricbuzz that it is the board’s job to create the women’s league, regardless of its financial viability.
The GC is encouraged by Jio’s sponsorship of the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2020, for which the company paid Rs 12 crore for the rights to the event.
For quite some time, the BCCI has been under pressure to start the Women’s IPL.
With Cricket West Indies (CWI) announcing a three-team competition alongside the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) starting this year,
and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) making similar noises, the BCCI has no choice but to fast pace the Women’s IPL.
