The concept of launching a Women’s Premier League (WPL) had been a topic of long-standing debate and excitement for years. Advocates believed that the WPL could significantly raise the standard and competitiveness of women’s cricket in India, similar to the impact the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) had on Australian cricket. After years of planning, the women’s version of the IPL finally came to life in 2023.
Women’s IPL: A Brief History
The first major women’s T20 competition in India, the Women’s T20 Challenge, started as a single-match event in 2018. It expanded to a three-team, three-match format in 2019 and continued in this structure until 2022. This competition sparked more interest in women’s cricket and opened up new opportunities for cricket betting, with global betting operators shifting focus to the Women’s IPL.
In February 2022, then BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed that the Women’s T20 Challenge would be replaced by a full-fledged Women’s IPL. On January 28, 2023, the BCCI invited bids for the title sponsorship of the league, with Tata Group securing the rights for an undisclosed amount.
The inaugural season in 2023 saw Mumbai Indians claim the first WPL title by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final.
Women’s IPL Winners List
| Season | Winner | Winning Margin | Runner-up | Final Venue | Player of the Match | Player of the Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mumbai Indians | 134/3 (19.3 overs), won by 7 wickets | Delhi Capitals | Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai | Nat Sciver-Brunt (MI) | Hayley Matthews (MI) |
| 2024 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 115/2 (19.3 overs), won by 8 wickets | Delhi Capitals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi | Sophie Molineux (RCB) | Deepti Sharma (UPW) |
WPL 2023
The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League, held from March 4 to March 26, 2023, featured five teams competing in 23 group-stage matches, followed by an Eliminator and the Final.
In the Eliminator, Mumbai Indians outplayed UP Warriorz by 72 runs, securing a spot in the final. Delhi Capitals, having topped the group stage, advanced directly to the final without playing a knockout match.
In the final, Mumbai Indians triumphed over Delhi Capitals at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. Delhi, led by Meg Lanning, elected to bat first after winning the toss. Despite a shaky start, with Shafali Verma dismissed for 12 and Alice Capsey for a duck, Lanning managed to steady the innings before being run out for 35. A late surge from Radha Yadav, scoring 27 off 12 balls, helped Delhi post a total of 131.
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In reply, Mumbai Indians were under pressure at 23 for two but were rescued by captain Harmanpreet Kaur (37 off 39) and Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose 60 off 55 balls guided Mumbai to victory in 19.3 overs. Sciver-Brunt was named Player of the Match for her crucial contribution in the final, while Hayley Matthews of Mumbai Indians was crowned Player of the Series for her all-round performance, including 16 wickets and 271 runs. Matthews also claimed the Purple Cap for the most wickets, while Meg Lanning secured the Orange Cap as the leading run-scorer with 345 runs in nine innings.
Yastika Bhatia of Mumbai Indians was recognized as the Emerging Player of the Season. Sophie Devine of RCB recorded the highest individual score of the tournament with a blistering 99 off 36 balls against Gujarat Giants. UP Warriorz’s Tahlia McGrath struck the most half-centuries, tallying four fifties during the competition. Sophia Dunkley of Gujarat Giants achieved the fastest fifty, reaching the milestone in just 18 balls against RCB.
Marizanne Kapp of Delhi Capitals took the best bowling figures of the tournament, claiming 5 for 15 against Gujarat Giants. Delhi Capitals also posted the highest team total, 223/2, against RCB, while the lowest total was Gujarat Giants’ 64 all-out against Mumbai Indians.
WPL 2024
The second edition of the Women’s Premier League was held from February 23 to March 17, 2024, featuring the same five teams. In the Eliminator, RCB defeated Mumbai Indians to set up a showdown with Delhi Capitals in the final.
Led by Smriti Mandhana, RCB claimed their first-ever WPL title by defeating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Opting to bat first, Delhi struggled against RCB’s bowling attack, posting a modest 113, with Shafali Verma top-scoring with 44 runs. Shreyanka Patil starred with the ball for RCB, taking four wickets, while Sophie Molineux chipped in with three.
In response, RCB chased down the target in 19.3 overs, thanks to contributions from Mandhana, Sophie Devine, and Ellyse Perry, all of whom scored in the 30s. Molineux was named Player of the Final for her brilliant bowling display, conceding only 20 runs in her four-over spell while taking three crucial wickets.
Ellyse Perry claimed the Orange Cap as the leading run-scorer of the season, with 341 runs in nine matches. Shreyanka Patil took the Purple Cap for the highest number of wickets. Deepti Sharma of RCB earned the MVP award for her outstanding all-round performance, scoring 295 runs at an average of 98.33 and taking 10 wickets.
Shafali Verma finished as the top six-hitter, smashing 20 sixes across nine matches.
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