3 areas where the WPL will help the Indian Women's cricket team
The inaugural season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) is less than a week away with Mumbai set to be the venue for the first franchise T20 tournament for women's cricket in India.
The anticipation is brewing at an all-time high with the teams and fixture lists announced in the build-up to the tournament. The auction, of course, was a major talking point, even during the T20 World Cup that ended on Sunday (February 26).
The WPL will begin on March 4th and the final will be played on March 26th with DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium being the two venues. There are plenty of expectations from the tournament with a number of high-profile players coming in to play for their respective franchises.
The involvement of such world-class players in the tournament is expected to benefit not only the young players, but also the Indian Women's Cricket Team in the future. On that note, let’s take a look at three areas where the WPL could really help the Women in Blue.
#1 Exposure at the biggest stage
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the grandest and most decorated T20 franchise tournament in the world. The Women's Premier League is expected to be no different with the inaugural season less than a week away.
The IPL provides a platform for upcoming domestic players to play at the highest level on the biggest stage. With the eyes of the entire world on them, players usually get used to the high-pressure environment even before playing for their country.
The expectations from the WPL are going to be along the same lines. Hopefully, up-and-coming players get the platform to showcase their talent and can be streamlined into the Indian side after thriving on the biggest stage.
#2 A chance to play alongside the best players in the world
The Indian domestic circuit for women's cricket doesn't generally get a lot of exposure or coverage. Hence, the players also go through their own processes and match preparations, unaware of how high the standards have been set by international sides like Australia and England.
This tournament will give Indian players a chance to rub shoulders and also go toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the world. This learning experience from experienced players at the highest level will be invaluable to up-and-coming players, helping them understand the game better and grow quickly.
#3 Giving women a genuine opportunity to take up the sport
Women's sport is on the rise and nobody wants to be left behind. Until a few years ago, taking cricket up as a sport might not have been seen as a viable and sustained career path for women in the country. With the evergrowing pace of the game, that opinion is definitely changing.
However, things at the domestic level still need plenty of reinforcement to make it a viable career option for young girls around the country. The WPL is expected to bridge that gap, not only allowing girls to take up the sport but also giving them a pathway to rise through the ranks and represent their country.