Women's IPL to begin in 2023, says sourav Ganguly

By: WE Staff | Saturday, 26 March 2022

The BCCI plans to launch the Women's IPL in 2023, according to Board President Sourav Ganguly, while four exhibition games will return this season after a one-year hiatus.

The BCCI will require the AGM's consent to start the Women's IPL next season, after being chastised in the past for not doing so.

In the inaugural edition, the Board intends to have five or six teams.

"It (the full-fledged women's IPL) has to be approved by the AGM. We plan to start it by next year hopefully," BCCI president Sourav Ganguly told reporters after the IPL Governing Council meeting here on Friday.

In a February interview, Ganguly stated that the Women's IPL would begin in 2023.

IPL chairman Brijesh Patel has stated that there will be four matches for the three women's teams this season, in addition to the men's IPL play-offs.

"There will be four matches involving three teams around the time of the playoffs," Patel said after the meeting.

Due to the epidemic, the second half of the IPL was moved to the UAE, hence the exhibition games were not held last year. When the IPL Trailblazers won the title in 2020, they were held in the UAE.

According to Patel, the Women's IPL will have five or six teams, although this will require clearance from the General Body.

Pune is the most likely location for the women's exhibition games. The IPL kicks off on Saturday at the legendary Wankhede stadium, with reigning champions Chennai Super Kings taking against Kolkata Knight Riders.

The tender for IPL media rights will be released soon. The Governing Council also discussed the topic of IPL media rights for the 2023-2027 cycle. A member of the Governing Council stated, "The tender will be published soon."

For the 2018-2022 cycle, Star India spent a hefty Rs 16,347.5 crore. With the league's popularity growing and the addition of two new teams, the total revenue for the next five years might reach Rs 40,000 crore.

Reliance-backed Viacom 18, current rights holders Disney Star, Sony (who paid Rs 8200 for nine years in 2009) and streaming behemoth Amazon, which could bid for the digital rights, are among the companies interested in obtaining India cricket's hottest asset.