Mumbai Indians WPL. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
The inaugural season of the WPL (Women’s Premier League) 2023 was an instant success. Garnering massive traction from cricket fanatics all over the globe, the WPL skyrocketed the fame of women’s cricket to its all-time high.
Seeing the success of the WPL, it could not be a long shot to consider that many other countries would be considering their own franchise T20 leagues for women alongside the already existing ones. Similar reports have been coming out in recent weeks as Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are reportedly pondering the launch of the Women’s Champions League in 2024.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that CA chief executive and chairman Nick Hockley and Mike Baird have had meetings with the executives of the BCCI and the ECB during the final of the World Test Championship and even the Lord’s Ashes Test, with another meeting being held at the ICC conference in South Africa recently.
With the WPL bringing in large numbers of dollars in revenue through their broadcasting deals and sponsors, the Women’s Champions League aims to do the same thing, given that it is established. The teams from the WPL, Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), and Women’s Hundred are expected to feature in the tournament, with some of the world’s best players going up against one another.
Furthermore, if the league is indeed announced, the revenue will be expected to be shared amongst the countries that are involved. The launch will be quite similar to that of the Men’s Champions League, which was launched shortly after the inaugural season of the IPL.
The launch of the women’s edition of the tournament, however, is seen as the most logical step for the cricket economy, as it would best help the boards capitalize on the huge success of the WPL. Apart from the three T20 leagues, other teams from the different leagues could join as well. However, a more focused approach and growing from there are being prioritized for the time being.