Women’s Premier League: Dawn of a new dawn for India’s next generation

India’s women cricketers will not only get the much-needed exposure to take their game to the next level, but also enjoy a cash-rich tournament as the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ushers in a new dawn for the sport in the country. Will be able to take , The 21-match tournament will kick off on Saturday with Gujarat Giants taking on India captain Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians in their first match of the tournament. The WPL will not only be about world cricket’s biggest pay scales and prestige, but also someone like Sneha Deepti, who will be looking to prove that motherhood hasn’t robbed her of her passion. To play the elite game.

Jasia Akhtar, a sure-hitting hard hitter from Jammu and Kashmir, will be eager to send the ball into the stands and will hope that her state men take her name alongside Umran Malik.

For Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, the pressure and arclights of a high octane tournament will prepare them for the tight games they have been struggling to close in their favor at global tournaments.

The inaugural edition of the T20 league – some would argue it was long overdue – will feature a total of five teams and 87 players, with girls under the age of 15 given the chance to ply their trade with and against some of the world’s best players. Will be prepared for.

The competition comprises a total of 21 matches, including two knockout games, and will be played across two venues in Mumbai, with the iconic Brabourne Stadium being the other.

The WPL has created a lucrative buzz in the cricket world with five franchises being sold for a total of Rs 4,669 crore, including the purchase of the Gujarat franchise by the Adani Group for Rs 1,289 crore.

A total of Rs 59.50 crore was spent by the five franchises in the player auction, which not only gave the players a further boost to their financial standing but also ensured a promising path for the young girls, with India’s star batsman Smriti Mandhana being the most expensive. . BUY IN THE AUCTION HELD IN MUMBAI – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bought him for Rs 3.4 Crores and as expected made him the captain.

The franchise, which has always relied on big names from the cricket world but is yet to win a title in the men’s league, added Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry to continue the tradition.

The second most expensive team in the league at Rs 912.99 crore, Mumbai Indians will begin 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. With the responsibility of a star-studded MI team that includes England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and pacer Issy Wong, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, South Africa’s T20 World Cup finalist Chloe Tryon, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews and Australia pacer Are included. Heather Graham.

Kaur, the only player to feature in 150 T20Is, has captained India in the knockout rounds in the last three T20 World Cups, including the final of the 2020 edition.

Kaur is hopeful that the tournament will help India bridge the gap with Australia and England.

“I think it is a good platform for all the Indian players because we have been missing this tournament for a long time,” he said during a virtual media interaction on Wednesday.

“Definitely the WBBL and the Hundred have done a great job for Australia and England and they’ve got so much young talent after those tournaments.

“After the WPL we are going to get some good talent as well and I am sure we would love to bridge the gap you are talking about (between the India and Australia sides). When you see good talent emerge , so you’re definitely going to make a good team after the WPL.”

Captained by champion Australian batsman Beth Mooney, the Gujarat Giants include Indian stars Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana – the team’s vice-captain – and veteran Sushma Verma.

They also have a healthy bank of overseas stars like recent T20 World Cup winners Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham of Australia, West Indies’ Deandra Dottin and England’s Sophia Dunkley, who will be key to their campaign in this edition of the WPL.

Former India captain Mithali Raj is also a formidable figure in the Gujarat Giants camp as the team’s mentor and advisor. He expressed happiness over the promise of WPL.

“I am just happy that it has come to a point where women’s cricket is now a sustainable sport for young girls in India. Not only in India, even overseas in two-three years’ time. Club cricketers too, maybe they too would probably like to be a part of such a set-up,” said Mithali.

UP Warriors grabbed Australia’s fiery wicketkeeper-batsman Alyssa Healy at the auction and later announced her as the captain, with India star Deepti Sharma – the second most expensive Indian player at Rs 2.6 crore – as her deputy.

With a strong squad, UP Warriors will be hoping to make a strong dent from their first game itself.

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