'I can confirm that women's IPL is very much on' - Sourav Ganguly ahead of Governing Council meeting

Amid COVID-19 pandemic, the men’s IPL 2020 is finally set to hit the floors in UAE as the BCCI has planned to host the cash-rich league in the September-November window. Due to a surge in coronavirus cases across the country, the Indian board spotted UAE as a viable option to stage the T20 extravaganza. However, the world is still waiting for an official announcement from the Indian board.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, on Sunday, said that the board has plans for women’s IPL too, ending speculations about the governing body not having schemes for India Women. The former India skipper said that women’s IPL or the Challenger series is ‘very much on’.

“I can confirm to you that the women’s IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also,” said Ganguly, as quoted by NDTV, ahead of the IPL Governing Council meeting on Sunday. The GC meeting will unfold many things about the commencement and planning of the much-awaited IPL 2020 in UAE.

Ganguly didn’t reveal further details but a senior official privy to the development said that the world could witness’ women’s Challenger series during the last phase of the IPL. “The women’s Challenger series is likely to be held between November 1-10 and there could be a camp before that,” the source revealed.

We will have a camp for women: Sourav Ganguly

Ganguly also said that the board is planning to have a camp for women side too. However, the camp has currently been delayed due to the COVID-19 situation across the country. Exposing any cricketer at this time could prove dangerous, according to the BCCI President.

“We couldn’t have exposed any of our cricketers — be it male or female to health risk. It would have been dangerous,” Ganguly said. “The NCA also remained shut because of COVID-19. But we have a plan in place and we will have a camp for women, I can tell you that,” he added.

For the future, operations team of the Indian board is preparing a schedule where the women’s national side is likely to lock horns with South Africa and West Indies in two white-ball series, before plying their trade in the ODI World Cup on the New Zealand soil.