A six-team Women’s IPL will be commencing next year as per the decision of the IPL Governing Council.
The GC and BCCI are of the opinion that women’s cricket has a lot of potential in India.
They will try to tap this potential by starting a women’s tournament on the likes of the men’s IPL.
This year, it will be the normal Women’s T20 Challenge which will be played alongside men’s IPL.
BCCI and GC will put in all efforts to start a women’s IPL. This will increase the viewership of women’s cricket in India.
Thus, the GC will have a meeting with the existing IPL franchises and request them if they would like to own a women’s franchise as well. If not, then they will open the forum for outside businesses to pitch in to own a team.
The BCCI also has been facing severe pressure to start a women’s IPL due to a nationwide clamour.
Other member boards such as Cricket West Indies and Pakistan Cricket Board have already started or deciding to start a women’s T20 league in their countries.
The other agenda that was given assent in the GC meeting today was the Invitation To Tender. This will be released by either Monday or Tuesday at the latest. The media rights were cleared by the members of the Governing Council.
For starting a proper women’s IPL, the BCCI and GC will look for a suitable window in which to host the tournament as it cannot be run alongside the men’s IPL.
