What was amorphous is finally crystalline. What was ethereal is finally corporeal. What seemed so distant during the pandemic is now just a few months away. What I’m saying in far too many words, is that the first concrete indication of a women’s Indian Premier League (IPL) is a cause for celebration. New threads are finally being woven into the fabric of Indian women’s cricket. Only a few, but shiny ones. And, like a zari border elevates an otherwise invisible piece of cloth, the women’s IPL can transform Indian women’s domestic cricket, and sport.
Here are a few of my hopes for the changes the women’s IPL can bring.
First, the equalisation of domestic cricket. Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took on the administration of women’s cricket in 2005-06, Indian Railways (IR) have won 22 out of 26 women’s domestic titles across formats. The reason is simple: It is the only company — public or private — that offers employment to women’s cricketers. Thanks to financial security, IR attracts the best talent. This sustains the domestic system but weakens other state teams and disincentivises proactive states from investing in players. This also means domestic cricket isn’t as competitive and, therefore, players aren’t exposed to high-pressure matches and are undercooked internationally.
A women’s IPL could change that. Each team will have at least 12 Indian players, meaning 60 players will receive a financial boost that might persuade them not to choose a railway job. A more competitive domestic competition, coupled with a high-visibility tournament such as IPL, will strengthen Indian domestic cricket, leading to better talent making its way to the top. This could help the women’s team win their first World Cup.
Second, accurate valuation of women’s cricket. We have little data to indicate the commercial value of Indian women’s cricket. The surest indicator is the amount of money a broadcaster pays, and until now, rights to broadcast Indian women’s home matches were bundled with Indian men’s home rights. And so, despite record numbers at International Cricket Council (ICC) events and the bonafide star power of players such as Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur, we could never quantify the value of the women’s game.
Once the rights for women’s IPL go on the market, this will change. Interest in the exhibition tournaments assures us that the property will attract buyers. Along with broadcast rights, tournament-naming rights and franchise fees paid to own a team will give us a baseline value. This will also establish women’s cricket as a revenue-generating property for the BCCI, one whose worth can be exponentially grown in the coming years.
Third, a unique Indian sporting league. The launch of a women’s IPL also makes it the only sporting league in the country to have a men’s and women’s tournament. The Pro Kabaddi League dabbled with women’s exhibition matches in its initial years, but that experiment didn’t see a second season. Football’s Indian Super League also has no women’s tournament. Wrestling, table tennis and badminton — which have no shortage of women stars — have few leagues to compete. This makes BCCI the market leader in Indian sport.
Fourth, international leadership. The women’s IPL should not seek market leadership in India but globally. With the men’s edition, BCCI had a first-mover advantage. But the women’s IPL competes with Australia’s Women’s Big Bash, England’s Hundred, the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, the Fairbreak Invitational, and Pakistan’s proposed Women’s PSL. With so many options, the women’s IPL can attract the best international talent only if the tournament is run with a vision to make it the best in the world.
The addition of a women’s tournament gives IPL a chance to become the biggest sporting property in the world. Depending on the source, IPL sits anywhere between second and just outside the top 10 sporting leagues in annual revenue. But the leaders – America’s National Football League ($16 billion) and Major League Baseball ($10 billion) – are men’s-only leagues. The National Basketball Association ($10 billion) has the WNBA, and women’s football leagues globally are staking their claim. But as a combined property, IPL (already at $10 billion before the women’s tournament) could claim to be a global sporting league that ticks all the boxes. But to do that, IPL must treat the women’s IPL with equal respect and look to grow the property in terms of revenue and quality. Then, IPL can genuinely stake a claim to be called the best sporting business in the world.
Snehal Pradhan is former India cricketer, writer, and commentator
The views expressed are personal
