Women's Premier League (WPL): Format, History and Key Facts

The Women's Premier League, or WPL, is the franchise Twenty20 competition for women's cricket in India. It was launched by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the first season was played in March 2023. Often seen as the women's counterpart of the Indian Premier League, it has been an important step in building a professional pathway for women cricketers in India.

How it began

India had a women's exhibition event known as the Women's T20 Challenge, played in a few seasons alongside the men's IPL, before a full league was created. In 2023 the BCCI sold the rights to five franchises. The league opened with matches played in Mumbai, at the Brabourne Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium. Mumbai Indians won the first title, beating Delhi Capitals in the final. Royal Challengers Bangalore won the second season in 2024, also beating Delhi Capitals in the final.

Teams

The five franchises are Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore (known as Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the men's league), UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants. Three of them share names with teams from the men's IPL, while UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants are distinct women's franchises. Their squads are made up of Indian players and international players from around the world.

Format and rules

Matches are Twenty20 games with twenty overs per side. The teams play each other in a league stage and are ranked on a points table. The side that finishes first goes straight to the final, while the second and third placed teams play an eliminator to decide the other finalist. There is a limit on the number of overseas players in the playing eleven, which gives space for Indian players to take leading roles.

Players and importance

Players are signed through an auction held before the first season, and salaries and the attention on the league brought a new level of visibility to women's cricket in India. The WPL has been compared with Australia's Women's Big Bash League, which began in 2015-16, and with the women's competitions in England and elsewhere. Supporters of the league argue that it has helped to attract investment, sponsorship and a large television audience, and that it gives young Indian players a regular high-quality stage.

The league has also had an effect on how women's cricket is covered in India, with matches shown on television and streamed for a national audience. Its arrival followed the growth of the women's game after India reached the final of the 2017 Women's World Cup, and it added a regular domestic season to a calendar that had previously offered few professional matches. For many supporters the WPL marked a turning point in the status of women's cricket in the country.