Indian women cricketers have applauded BCCI President Sourav Ganguly’s announcement that the Women’s IPL will be taking place during the men’s event in the UAE but the foreign cricketer seems too unhappy with timing as it will be clashing with the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia. Team India hasn’t played any competitive game since the T20 World Cup final since March.
Mithali, who only plays ODIs, last played in November. With the tour of England in canceled, it seemed the Indian cricketers wouldn’t be getting game time before the ODI World Cup in February-March. However, Ganguly’s announcement on Sunday has eased some concerns.
ALSO READ: Date Of IPL 2020 Final Changed, Government Gives A Go Ahead
Welcoming the announcement, Mithali tweeted: “This is excellent news. Our ODI World Cup campaign to finally kick start. A big thank you to @SGanguly99 @BCCI @JayShah and thank you @BoriaMajumdar for your support to women’s cricket”.
This is excellent news . Our ODI World Cup campaign to finally kick start . A big thank you to @SGanguly99 @BCCI @JayShah and thank you @BoriaMajumdar for your support to women’s cricket . https://t.co/JpJSMGapzV
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) August 2, 2020
Senior Indian spinner Poonam Yadav wrote: “Good news! Thank you @SGanguly99 and the BCCI.”
Good news! Thank you @SGanguly99 and the BCCI. https://t.co/WWkpydctII
— Poonam Yadav (@poonam_yadav24) August 2, 2020
The four-team Women’s IPL can be expected to take place between November 1-10 while the Big Bash is scheduled from October 17 to November 29. The BCCI’s decision seems to be left the foreign players miffed especially Australia’s Alyssa Healy and New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates.
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar Urges BCCI To Take Him Back As A Commentator
Healy on Twitter had asked said, “So the Indian players who’ve already signed WBBL contracts will do what? And all the international marquee players that will be in aus for wbbl? Good luck with it”.
So the Indian players who’ve already signed wbbl contracts will do what? And all the international marquee players that will be in aus for wbbl? Good luck with it…..
— Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) August 2, 2020
Bates tweeted: “What a huge shame for both the WBBL and WIPL competitions there is a clash”.
https://twitter.com/SuzieWBates/status/1289870953493626881?s=20
Australia cricketers Rachael Haynes seems to be agreeing with her teammate Healy and Bates.
Taking to Twitter, Haynes wrote: “Agree. If true, it’s a shame… while the game continues to grow, premier domestic competitions do not need to compete against each other. They can be used to showcase the game and support its development around the world”.
https://twitter.com/RachaelHaynes/status/1289864298705989633?s=20
The BCCI had faced some harsh criticism for canceling the women team’s tour of England at a time when the IPL preparations were in full swing. The men’s IPL will now be taking place between September 19 and November 10 (final date yet to be locked in) in the UAE due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India. The four-team women’s event will also be fit into the schedule, according to the BCCI chief.
Talking to PTI on Sunday, Ganguly said, “I can confirm to you that the women’s IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also”.
