Bangalore, India, 7 March 2023
In what might be a turning point for women’s cricket, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) debuts on Saturday with a game between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants. Although the Women’s T20 Challenge was a three-team sideshow to the men’s Indian Premier League between 2018 and 22, the demand for a full-fledged women’s league has been building.
The five WPL franchises and television rights sales alone brought in close to $690 million, while the Indian Cricket Board has secured a strong roster of sponsors for the 22-match competition. The player’s auction held last month, when clubs had $1.45 million apiece to spend on players, saw some female cricketers earn the most money of their careers.
Mooney was purchased for two crores, and she is now joined by Ashleigh Gardner, a member of her international squad, who Gujarat paid 3.2 crores for, making her the second-most expensive player in the auction. Aussie all-rounder was bought for 75 lakhs in the meanwhile. The most expensive Indian on the side is Sneh Rana, who costs 75 lakhs. In order to secure their spots in the starting lineup, players like Annabel Sutherland, Deandra Dottin, and Sophia Dunkley will also be looking to make significant contributions to the team. Mumbai, on the other hand, will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, and they are a favorite to win the championship this year. MI spent 1.8 crores for the India captain and enlisted other top-tier foreign athletes, including Natalie Sciver of England.
Kriti Sanon, AP Dhillon, and Kiara Advani lit the stage on fire in the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Sachin Tendulkar tweets in support
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar has once again extended his support to young kids who dream of becoming an athlete in the world.
Sachin has said that WPL is a victory for gender equality in cricket.
India will use WPL to overcome the last obstacles in ICC competitions: Zaid Khan Zaheer Khan, a former India pacer and the global head of cricket development for the Mumbai Indians, is optimistic that the Women’s Premier League would have a profoundly good effect on women’s cricket.
“Exposure to some of the finest players will result in the development of guys who are even more ready for international cricket. The effects of that will undoubtedly be seen in a few years at the world level, and that is the fascinating part. The Indian women’s team has consistently performed well at the international level, but in a competition like the World Cup, they have struggled to reach the finish line. The bridge will be accessible to you.
