Wpl: WPL: A chance for female cricketers to take their game to the next level | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: The inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) is set to usher in a new dawn for sport in the country. Indian female cricketers will not only enjoy the benefits of a cash-heavy tournament but it will also provide them with much needed exposure to take their game to the next level.
The 21-game tournament kicks off on Saturday with Gujarat Giants facing India captain Harmanpreet Kaur led by Mumbai Indians in the opener of the tournament.
The first edition of the long awaited T20 championship will feature a total of five teams and 87 players, with girls as young as 15 ready to ply their trade with and against some of the best in the world.
The competition consists of a total of 21 matches, including two knockout matches, and will be played at two venues in Mumbai, the other at the iconic Brabourne Stadium.

THE WPL extension it won’t just be about the crème-de-la-creme of world cricket with huge paychecks and reputations to play for, but also for someone like Sneha Deepthi, who would like to prove that motherhood hasn’t robbed her of her passion for the game. elite.
A certain Jasia Akhtar of Jammu and Kashmir will be eager to throw the ball into the stands and expect people of her state to take her name along with Umran Malik.
For the Kaurs, Jemimah Rodrigues and the Shafali Vermas, the pressure and string lights of a high-octane tournament will prepare them for those tight matches in global tournaments, which they have struggled to finish in their favor.
Kaur, the only player featured in 150 T20I, has captained India to the round of 16 in the last three T20 World Cups, including the final of the 2020 edition. Kaur hopes the competition will help India close the gap to Australia and England.
“I think this is a great platform for all Indian players as we have been missing this tournament for a long time,” he said during an interaction with virtual media on Wednesday.
“Definitely for Australia and England the WBBL and the Hundred worked very well and after those tournaments they have so much young talent. After the WPL we will have some good talent too and I’m sure the difference you talk about (between India and Australia) we would like to cut back. When you see good talent emerge, you will definitely become a good team after WPL,” he added.

The Gujarat Giants, captained by Australian champion Beth Mooney, are made up of Indian star Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana — also the team’s vice-captain — and veteran Sushma Verma.
They also have a good supply of overseas stars such as recent T20 World Cup winners from Australia, Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham, Deandra Dottin from the West Indies and Sophia Dunkley from England who will be key to their campaign this season. WPL edition.
Former India captain Mithali Raj is also an indomitable figure in the Gujarat Giants camp as a mentor and adviser to the team. He expressed his happiness at the promise that WPL brings.
“I’m just happy that it’s gotten to a point where women’s cricket is now a viable sport on its own for girls in India. Not just in India, even overseas cricket clubs in two-three years, maybe they too he probably would like to be part of a set-up like this,” Mithali said.
‘A success even before the start’
WPL has created an irresistible buzz in the cricketing world, with the five franchises being sold for a combined total of INR 4,669 crore, which includes Adani Group’s purchase of the Gujarat franchise for a whopping INR 1,289 crore.
The player auction saw a total of INR 59.50 crore spent by the five franchises, not only providing the players with an extra financial boost but also ensuring a promising avenue for young girls whose
Indian batting star Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive purchase in the auction held in Mumbai: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bought her for ₹3.4 crore and allegedly made her captain. The franchise, which has always placed its faith in the big names in world cricket but has yet to win a men’s league title, has added Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry to continue the tradition.
The second most expensive team in the league at INR 912.99 crore, the Mumbai Indians will embark on their WPL 2023 journey hoping to emulate the unprecedented heights and glory achieved by their male counterparts, who have won a record five IPL titles
Reigning India captain Kaur has been given responsibility for a star-studded MI squad, which has a powerful squad that includes England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and pacer Issy Wong, New Zealander Amelia Kerr, Cup finalist South Africa’s T20 World Cup Chloe Tryon, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews and Australia’s Heather Graham.
UP Warriorz grabbed aggressive Australian wicketkeeper batsman Alyssa Healy at auction and later announced her as captain, with Indian star Deepti Sharma – India’s second most expensive player at ₹2.6 crore – as her deputy. With a strong squad, the UP Warriorz are hoping to make a big bang from their first game onwards.
(With inputs from PTI)