Women's IPL - An idea whose time has come
A Women's IPL has always been a trending idea but has usually been ignored and tucked away for later. Here's why it's time to consider this idea.
The Indian Premier League, usually referred to as the IPL, is arguably the biggest T20 league in the world. Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has served as a stage for many youngsters to showcase their talents at a global level, playing alongside and against some of the biggest names in world cricket.
In fact, the IPL is one of the main reasons for India's ability to play two worthy international teams at the same time. Calls for a Women's IPL are now on the rise.
While the men's team has always remained in the spotlight, the Women in Blue have silently gone about their work. Veterans like pacer Jhulan Goswami and batter Mithali Raj have provided their experience, while newer players like Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues have shown their class at the highest level against superior teams.
They made it to the finals of the 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2020 T20 World Cup while making it to the top 5 of the world rankings in both formats of the women's game. These almost-successful campaigns have brought forth the question - what can a Women's IPL do for Indian women's cricket?
Do we have reason to believe a Women's IPL could be succesful?
The answer to that question would be yes. The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the BBL's female counterpart, was established in 2015. Since then, the Australian side have been almost unbeatable, winning the Women's T20 World Cup in 2018 and 2020.
The WBBL has not only increased people's interest in the women's game but also improved the national team, with a lot of young talents receiving their caps and performing exceptionally at the international level. The Southern Stars' incredible campaign post-WBBL is live proof of what a good women's league can bring not only to India but to world cricket as a whole.
Women's IPL - a boon for India and world cricket
A women's league can bring about a huge change to cricket on the whole. Leagues like the IPL and BBL have been extremely instrumental in the quest to make cricket a worldwide sport. The number of associate countries is increasing continuously and the quality of cricket has generally become a lot better than what it was before these leagues were introduced.
A well-executed Women's IPL has the potential to do what leagues like the IPL have done for the men's game. Not only will it create well-deserved publicity for the usually ignored women's game but it will also act as a platform for young talent to interact with veterans, while also unearthing talents from smaller cities and improving the quality of players and as a result, the game itself. It might also lead to teams from many new countries coming to the spotlight, making cricket a global sport.
The BCCI have experimented with this idea, starting a three-team Women's T20 challenge as part of the IPL. However, considering the success of the eight-team WBBL and India's recent performances at international level, it might be time to look at the possibility of a full-fledged women's league. Until then, all we can do is hope that this idea becomes a reality and soon, we might find ourselves watching a thrilling Women's IPL final.