The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set aside a window for the first-ever edition of the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) in March 2023.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the Indian apex board has changed the women’s domestic cricket calendar to make way for Women’s IPL. The women’s season that usually goes on from November to April has been advanced by a month, with the season set to begin on October 11 with a T20 competition and end in February next year with an inter-zonal ODI competition.
Not to mention, BCCI has been staging the Women’s T20 Challenge since 2018, except in 2021, when it was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. The T20 Challenge, which started as a one-off exhibition match between two teams in the first season, has now become a three-team competition.
Many women cricket stars from around the globe have also joined the competition. No wonder the fans have been demanding a bigger tournament just like the men’s edition of IPL.
Notably, in February earlier this year, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had already given hints and said that the women’s IPL would be held in 2023.
“We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year, i.e. 2023, will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women’s IPL, which will be as big and grand a success as men’s IPL,” Ganguly had said.
A few months later, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had also given indications regarding a five- or six-team tournament, saying: “I am thrilled at the kind of response we have got from stakeholders. Multiple existing IPL teams have enquired and expressed serious interest in owning WIPL franchises.”