Mumbai, March 3: India’s women cricketers will not only get the much-needed exposure to take their game to the next level but also enjoy the perks of a cash-rich tournament when the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ushers in a new dawn for the sport in the country.
The 21-match tournament will commence on Saturday with Gujarat Giants taking on India captain Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians in the tournament-opener.
The WPL will not just be about the creme-de-la-creme of world cricket with huge pay packets and reputations to play for but also for someone like Sneha Deepthi, who would like to prove that motherhood hasn’t robbed her of the passion to play elite sport.
A certain hard-hitting Jasia Akhtar from Jammu and Kashmir will be eager to send the ball soaring into the stands and expect that people from her state will take her name alongside Umran Malik.
For the Kaurs, Jemimah Rodrigues, and the Shafali Vermas, the pressure and arclights of a high octane tournament will prepare them for those tight games in global tournaments, which they have been struggling to close in their favour.
The inaugural edition of the T20 league will feature a total of five teams and 87 players, with girls as young as 15 set to ply their trade with and against some the best in the world.
The competition consists of an overall 21 matches including two knockout games, and will be played across two venues in Mumbai, with the iconic Brabourne Stadium being the other.
WPL has created a compelling buzz in the world of cricket, with the five franchises being sold for a grand total of Rs 4,669 crore, which includes Adani Group’s purchase of the Gujarat franchise for a whopping Rs 1,289 crore.
The player auction witnessed a total of Rs 59.50 crore spent by the five franchises, not only providing the players with a further boost to their financial being, but also ensuring a promising road ahead to young girls.
The second costliest team in the league at Rs 912.99 crore, Mumbai Indians will embark on their WPL 2023 journey hoping to emulate the unprecedented heights and glory achieved by their men’s counterparts, who have won a record five IPL titles. The incumbent India captain Kaur has been bestowed with the responsibility of a star-studded MI team, which has a powerhouse squad comprising England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and pacer Issy Wong, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, West Indies’ captain Hayley Matthews and Australia’s Heather Graham.
Gujarat Giants, captained by champion Australian batter Beth Mooney, consists of Indian stars Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana – also the team’s vice-captain – and the experienced Sushma Verma.
They also have a healthy bank of overseas stars such as recent T20 World Cup winner from Australia, Ashleigh Gardner, West Indies’ Deandra Dottin and England’s Sophia Dunkley, who will be key to their campaign. (PTI)
