The thrill of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been seen for years; now it is the turn of Women’s IPL, which had its debut season this year. The whole world was eager for the Women’s IPL Schedule 2023. The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) went full swing with the preparations. Players were auctioned in the second week of February 2023 for Women’s IPL 2023, which was held in March 2023. Five teams of the Women’s Premier League were sold for approximately ₹4670 crore for a holding period of 10 years. The teams were from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Lucknow. The Adani Group made the highest bid of ₹1289 crore to buy a team of Women’s Premier League. The Mumbai Indians were bid for ₹912.99 crore, Royal Challengers Bangalore for ₹901 crore, Delhi Capitals for ₹810 crore and Lucknow Warriorz for ₹757 crores. The Year 2023 will go down in history as the year that transformed women’s cricket for the better .
Swami Vivekananda once said, ‘There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing’. This quote perfectly captures the significance of empowering women in all aspects of life, including sports. Women's IPL has helped to create a level playing field for female cricketers in India and has provided them with equal opportunities to compete at the highest level. The men’s franchise game has already seen fifteen editions.
The Women's Premier League has been a long-awaited event for Indian cricket fans and female cricketers alike. In a country where cricket is akin to religion, the introduction of a women's league was long overdue. The Women's IPL helps to break down the gender barriers in cricket and provides female cricketers with the opportunity to showcase their talent on a national and international level.
WPL will also play a crucial role in creating role models for young girls who aspire to become cricketers. The league has provided an opportunity for young girls to take up cricket as a career. Indian stars such as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur were paid crores. There were sportswomen from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and the USA.
In addition to its significance in promoting gender equality and providing opportunities for female cricketers, the Women's Indian Premier League (IPL) has also created new employment opportunities in various fields. The league has opened up new opportunities for cricketers, coaches, support staff, event management professionals, media professionals and many others. The league has provided employment opportunities for people from different backgrounds, including women.
WPL has created new opportunities for cricketers who were previously overlooked due to the lack of exposure and opportunities. The league has helped to identify talented players and has provided them with the platform to showcase their skills.
Development of infrastructure for women's cricket in India has become one of the pivotal points of discussion due to the WPL. The league has helped to create new cricket grounds and training facilities for women's cricket teams, which has created new job opportunities for groundsmen, security personnel, and other support staff.
In this first edition of WPL, there were 22 matches that were played over 22 days in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The cup was won by Mumbai Indians, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur. Speaking after the game, Harmanpreet said it was a great experience for everyone involved, adding that they had been waiting for a tournament like the WPL for many years. Here’s hoping that the global success of WPL spawns more such editions and brings to limelight the overwhelming talent of women cricketers all around the world.
