Sunil Gavaskar asks BCCI to consider holding women’s IPL from next year onwards

Given the brilliant performance from the Indian women’s team in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia, where the eves reached their maiden final on the back of a great run; voices have begun asking for a women’s IPL tournament on the lines of the Women’s Big Bash League and Kia Super League.

A voice that has raised the same issue has been that of former India captain and one of the legendary openers of the game, Sunil Gavaskar. The Indian eves’ performance in the ICC event impressed the former cricketer so much that he has even asked the BCCI to consider holding a full-fledged women’s version of the Indian Premier League from next year onwards.

At the moment, Australia and England are the only two nations to hold proper, standalone T20 leagues for women cricketers in which Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Smriti Mandhana have participated in. England has even launched the Hundred in which women will also participate.

On the other hand, the BCCI experimented with a three-team triangular T20 series during IPL 2019 and during this year’s edition, four-team comprising of women cricketers from all over the world will participate in a league-based tournament during the knockout stages of IPL 2020. Though the Indian team lost the final to Australia by 85 runs, it was enough an indication for Gavaskar to ask BCCI chief Ganguly and other officials to think about a women’s IPL.

‘There will be a lot more exposure to women’s cricket’: Sunil Gavaskar

“To Sourav Ganguly and the BCCI, I would like to say, maybe next year, look at having a women’s IPL because that will unearth a lot more talent. There is already a lot of talent which we see and that will come to the fore with this performance of this Indian team throughout this tournament,” Gavaskar was quoted by India Today.

He praised the BCCI in how they are managing women cricket. He mentioned how India went to Australia for a T20 Tri-series a month before the World Cup for preparations, which ensured they were prepared for the following T20 event. Hence, Gavaskar asked for a WIPL from 2021 onwards to give players more exposure.

“Even if there are not 8 teams, a women’s IPL will make a lot of sense. There will be a lot more exposure to women. A lot more talent, which is there but we don’t know at the moment will come to the fore. And then, as the years go by, Indian women’s team will start winning a lot more trophies,” pointed out Gavaskar.

He also mentioned how Mandhana and Harmanpreet benefitted from playing in the WBBL and how Australia has found more players due to that tournament. He felt that India might get more talent in women’s cricket if Women’s IPL starts from next year.