Reports: BCCI planning to conduct a full-fledged Women’s IPL soon

While the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded just a couple of weeks back, preparations for the 2022 season are underway.  The upcoming IPL season holds great significance as it will see two new teams coming into the picture. Hence, IPL will become a 10-team event for the very first time since 20211. With the tournament getting expanded, the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI would be busy in preparations.

Notably, the 2020 and half of the 2021 edition took place in UAE soil due to COVID-19 concerns in India. However, BCCI is planning to conduct all matches of the upcoming season in India. If reports are to be believed, the Indian cricket board is even planning to bring women’s IPL in the picture.  BCCI is planning to organize the women’s version of the gala tournament with four to five teams being in action.

Four to five teams to participate in Women’s IPL

“With the tournament all set to return home in 2022, a homecoming of sorts post-Covid, it is only expected to get bigger and better. What will also add to it is the start of the women’s IPL in the not too distant future. If BCCI’s plans all fall in place, we will soon see a women’s tournament with four to five franchise teams, each sold for INR 1,000 crore,” read a report in the Open.

“While the values are less, it will help make the game more inclusive and all encompassing. In sum, IPL is what will whet India’s business appetite in the next few years with the best in the business investing in and feeding off it,” it read further.

It has to be noted that BCCI has conducted three editions of the Women’s T20 Challenge which is also termed as Women’s IPL. While the 2018 edition saw a one-off game, the next two seasons saw three teams contesting in a round-robin. Many prominent Indian players like Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami featured in the competition.

The 2021 edition, however, couldn’t take place due to COVID-19 concerns. Nevertheless, as the report said, a full-fledged women’s IPL is on the cards and it would be interesting to see how it pans out.