The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is proposing a six-team women’s IPL from 2023 and it has decided at a Governing Council (GC) meeting of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai on Friday (March 25). It was also stated that a decision was taken that all efforts will be done to host a six-team annual Twenty20 tournament for the women cricketers, with first preference being given for the existing IPL franchises as well. This year, however, the normal Women’s Twenty20 challenge will be played.

The GC has also felt that there is potential for the women’s IPL and it has also been encouraged by sponsorship for the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2020. The Governing Council members, who have come face to face for the first time in almost two years, have decided that the existing franchises of the IPL will be asked if they want to have the women’s team as well. After that, the BCCI will invite outside parties to own the franchises as well.

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However, the BCCI has been under pressure to start the women’s IPL as there has been a lot of talent all over the country. The Cricket West Indies (CWI) has also decided to start a three-team league from this year, alongside the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and then Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also announced to host similar leagues as well. A top BCCI official has recently told Cricbuzz that it is the responsibility of the board to start a women’s IPL, irrespective of commercial returns from the tournament as well.

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On the other hand, the GC has also cleared the media rights tender for the IPL for the cycle of 2023-27. The Invitation To Tender (ITT) document, is expected to be out on Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, there will be several options for the bidding parties and it is learnt that the interested business houses should have a net worth of INR 1000 crore as well.