After a successful first edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) this year, the next edition will see a few more things. Coming Season of Tata WPL 2024, one of the main progress will be a home and away format. WPL 2024 will see a home-and-away format, confirmed by Arun Dhumal in April 2023. However, the number of teams participating in the Tata WPL 2024 will not be changed.
With the Indian Women’s cricket team doing well over the last few years, BCCI started to give more preference to women’s cricket in India. They came up with the idea of having their own T20 league for women cricketers. The idea was in consideration during the former BCCI president, S Ganguly’s tenure. He told me about this in 2022. And we saw the first edition of WPL in 2023.
India’s Women’s Cricket Team Growth
Women’s cricket in India has grown over the years. They have done well to reach the final of the ICC ODI World Cup in 2017, ICC T20I World Cup in 2020, winning a silver medal in Commonwealth Games in 2022, and the U-19 Women’s Cricket Team winning the World Cup this year.
The Indian Team would love to go one step further in the first 3 events, but these are good signs of progress going forward.
Women Premier League Inaugural Season
S Ganguly, the former BCCI president confirmed the commencement of this league in September 2022. And then we saw the inaugural season in 2023. Fans loved every moment of the league with Mumbai Indians Women winning the title. We saw some of the most exciting and nail-biting games in WPL 2023. Now, we will again see some of the best women cricketers from all around the world playing in WPL 2024. Let us give you the details regarding WPL 2024
Tata WPL 2024 Will Be On A Home And Away Format
The first edition was played across two venues in Mumbai only. Those were Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium. But there will be a home-and-away format in WPL 2024. Different venues in multiple cities will be given a chance to host the games in 2024.
The reason for that is to increase the fan base of a particular team. Like for example, in IPL, whenever there is an IPL match in Jaipur, most of the fans are of Rajasthan Royals. The same goes with MI in Mumbai, DC in Delhi, CSK in Chennai, etc.
With the home games, a franchise can build a fan base with their fans coming in to big numbers to support them in the stadium.
Dhumal on WPL 2024 – Home and Away Format
Arun Dhumal told PTI about the home and away format in Tata WPL 2024. He said – “”Well begun is half done. It has been a great beginning for WPL and going forward it is going to be much better than what we have seen so far. We have started with five teams but going forward there is scope for additional teams given the pool of players that is going to come in the years to follow.”
Dhumal also talks about the potential increase in the number of teams in WPL. But the chances of that happening will be after 3 years. He also talks about considering the time slot for WPL, after taking India’s international commitment into consideration.
“We are hoping increase in the number of teams but for the coming three seasons will remain five. We are surely looking at home and away format, we will see which time slot is available considering India’s international commitment and take a call,” he added.
About Associate Nation Players in WPL
Dhumal also talks about how WPL can help to grow the players from Associate nations.
“This is a global event. It is not India-centric. We have given one slot to associate countries which will help the game grow globally. And their players did well too.”
The franchises in WPL are allowed to play 5 overseas players in the playing XI. But one of the overseas players will be from the associate nation.
Appreciation for Indian Women’s Cricketers
“Our national team has done very well over the last couple of years. U-19 girls won the World Cup. Given how the WPL was received, we are very hopeful that we will have a bigger pool of players and their fitness and fielding standard will improve immensely going forward.”
Conclusion
So these are the details regarding WPL 2024. To sum up, WPL 2024 will see a home-and-away format to build a fan base. There will be multiple cities hosting the tournament. The number of teams participating will not increase for the next three years.
WPL 2024 format will be the same as 2023. The team finishing at the top will directly play the final. And the team finishing at No. 2 and No. 3 will play in the eliminator. The winner of that game will face the No. 1 team in the final.
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