Cricket fans have been yearning to see women play a tournament like the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their wish will finally come true this year as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to host the inaugural Women’s IPL in March.
The auction for the media rights of the Women’s IPL was supposed to take place on January 12, 2023. That has now been postponed by four days and will now be conducted on January 16. However, there are a few conditions that the BCCI has attached to the event. As per the cricket board, if by any chance the WIPL doesn’t take place this year, there will be rebidding in 2024.
“If for any reason, 5 (five) Teams are not constituted to play in the League in Season 2023 or the League is not organized in Season 2023, then all the Media Rights Agreements shall stand terminated,” the BCCI has mentioned in the Invitation To Tender (ITT) document.
The bidding will be a closed process. The highest bidder will earn the right to bring the first-ever WIPL to the audience at home.
When will the team auctions take place?
We saw the mini-auction of the men’s IPL take place last month. Players like Sam Curran, Cameron Green, and Ben Stokes were bought for huge amounts.
The first WIPL auction is likely to be held by the end of this month. If reports are to be believed, IPL franchises like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rajasthan Royal have shown interest in owning WIPL teams.
Some companies from outside the IPL bandwagon are also believed to have shown interest in having their teams. Exciting times ahead if you are a fan of women’s cricket. We have seen how the men’s IPL has given rise to star players. Let’s hope that the WIPL has the same effect.
