The much-awaited inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will take place from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai. The Brabourne Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium will host all the games with the tournament opener likely to be played between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians-owned franchise as well.

“The Women’s Premier League will be played from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told PTI on Monday.

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Arun Dhumal also confirmed that the auction will take place on February 13 in Mumbai, a day after India’s T20 World Cup journey starts against Pakistan. With the five teams getting Rs 4669.99 crore and the BCCI selling the media rights for Rs 951 crore, the WPL has become the second biggest T20 League in the world behind the Indian Premier League. Apart from three IPL team owners — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals — Capri Global Holdings (Lucknow) and the Adani Sportsline have bought the five franchises as well.

More than 1500 players have registered for the inaugural league and the final list is likely to be released later this week as well. Each team will have a purse of Rs 12 crore at the players’ auction next month and they will need to buy a minimum of 15 players and a maximum of 18 as well.

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Up to five overseas players, including one from an associate member country, will play in the playing eleven. A total of 22 matches will be played in the inaugural season with the top-ranked team in the Women’s Premier League (Women’s IPL) stage qualifying directly for the final as well. The second and third-placed teams will take on each other for a place in the final as well.