The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to make a global T20 league for female cricketers along the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in form of Women’s IPL. As per the note sent by the BCCI to state associations, the women’s IPL will feature 20 league games with the five teams playing each other twice. The table toppers will earn a direct entry into the final, while the second and third-place teams will battle out in the Eliminator. Each side can have 18 players with a maximum of six from foreign countries.
Now according to a News 18 report, BCCI, looking to auction five franchises for the upcoming women’s T20 league starting March 2023 by way of a closed tender, has kept the base price at Rs 400 crore (USD 50m approx.).The cricket board has arrived at this decision by taking into account the value of the costliest franchise that was sold back in 2007-08 – Mumbai Indians at USD 111.9m (approx. Rs 446 cr) at Rs 40 / dollar. The winning franchise will pay the ownership fees to the BCCI over a period of five years in equal instalments and continue to own the property for perpetuity, like in the men’s IPL.
As reported by InsideSport, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will have their WIPL teams and are ready to pick up tender documents as soon as BCCI announces it.Five other IPL franchises namely – Delhi Capitals (DC), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have also informed the BCCI of their wish to field a women’s team.
