Reports | BCCI plans to start women's IPL from next year
After an IPL Governing Council meeting on Friday (March 25), the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed that they are planning to have five or six teams for the inaugural edition of the Women's Indian Premier League from next year. This season, however, there will be the Women's Twenty20 challenge.
As per multiple reports, including Cricbuzz and ESPNCricinfo, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to start the Women's IPL by 2023, Board President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the development on Friday (March 25), while four exhibition games for the Women's Twenty20 challenge will make a return this season after a one-year gap.
The BCCI, which has been criticised in the past for not organising the Women's IPL, will need AGM's approval to kickstart the T20 league next season.
"It (the full-fledged women's IPL) has to be approved by the AGM. We plan to start it by next year hopefully," Ganguly told reporters after the IPL Governing Council meeting.
IPL chair Brijesh Patel also confirmed that there will be four matches for the three women teams around men's IPL play-offs.
"There will be four matches involving three teams around the time of the playoffs," Patel revealed after the meeting.
According to Patel, there would be five or six teams in the Women's IPL in 2023, but that would need the approval of the General Body.
However, in this season, the most likely venue for the women's exhibitions games is Pune.
The IPL 2022 starts on Saturday (March 26) with defending champions Chennai Super Kings up against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.