Women’s Premier League (WPL): Impact on Game and Society

Explore how the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is transforming women’s cricket in India, empowering players, and reshaping the sports landscape.

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In India, there is a franchise league for women’s Twenty20 cricket called the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India is in charge of its ownership and operation (BCCI). The first season began in March 2023, and Mumbai Indians won the inaugural championship. A total of five franchises participated in the games, which were played in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The Women’s T20 Challenge was India’s first significant women’s Twenty20 tournament. This competition began as a one-match event in 2018 and was increased to a three-team, three-match event in 2019, 2020, and 2022.

Women’s Premier League (WPL) organization : 

The IPL’s organizational model served as the foundation for the league. The competition begins with five teams, who compete against one another in a double round robin format. The three teams who finish with the most points advance to the playoff rounds. If the league is successful, the Board intends to raise the number of games and franchises in upcoming seasons. 22 games were played during the league’s inaugural season, which ran from March 4 to March 26, 2023. They were all played at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium. During the inaugural season, women were given free admission.

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Also Read: Winning WPL was one of the best moments of my life: Amelia Kerr

Women’s Premier League (WPL) Financial Background: 

During the first five years of the competition, the BCCI plans to divide 80% of the income among the franchise owners. 60% of the income from the following five seasons will be split, and from seasons 11 to 15, 50% of the profits will be given out. In addition, the franchises will get 80% of the money made through the competition’s central licensing rights. Franchises will also make money through selling goods, tickets, and advertising.

Women’s Premier League (WPL) impact on games and society : 

Cricket is no longer viewed as a sport for gentlemen; the WPL represents a turning point for women’s cricket in India. That is the result of a protracted struggle that female cricketers engaged in. Women cricket players have historically been overshadowed by their male counterparts, as is common knowledge. The generations led by Anjum Chopra, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami, however, stood their ground in the face of misogynistic insults. Begum Hamida Habibullah served as the president when Mahendra Kumar Sharma registered the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI) under the Societies Act in Lucknow in 1973. The first Women’s Inter-State Nationals, featuring three teams from Bombay, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, took place in Pune that same year. Later, there were eight teams instead of only three. Together with the founding secretary Sharma, Chandra Tripathi and Pramilabai Chavan are the other two women who made significant contributions to the early growth of women’s cricket.

The Indian women’s cricket squad has unquestionably improved during the previous ten years. India reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2017. In the 2020 T20 World Cup, India also advanced to the championship game. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Indian women’s cricket team made history by taking home the first-ever silver medal. India also won the first Under-19 Women’s Cricket World Cup in January of this year. The Tata WPL is currently another achievement for Indian women’s cricketers. 

The WPL is the next significant event that will impact Indian women’s cricket in the future. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) will give female cricket players a stage on which to demonstrate their abilities and gain a devoted following. The platform might start a domino effect, with female cricketers getting more personal endorsements and “air time” as the first step. Second, the WPL will spur the growth of youthful talent both domestically and internationally in the cricketing community.

The WPL has already surpassed all other women’s cricket franchises in terms of revenue. The WPL is becoming a significant athletic entity in the nation, producing stars and heroes while also balancing the exposure given to male and female athletes in India.