WIPL, a path forward for women’s cricket
BCCI announced its intention to launch a Women's Indian Premier League earlier this year. Charlie Dean rose through the ranks from the club and local tournaments to the domestic level and then to senior national team. Australia has reaped similar benefits with its Women’s Big Bash League. The Women't T20 Challenge has given Indian cricket Shafali Verma a chance.
The objectives for organizing the tournament need to be clear, according to former India coach W.V. Raman.
There were only three teams in this edition of WT20C. There were four overseas slots and just three matches. Only four uncapped players got game time. Former India international Soniya Dabir believes that the tournament was an audition for women's cricket. She believes it was not enough time to give all the players a chance. The tournament is aimed at promoting women cricket in the world. It is also aimed to promote women in domestic cricket leagues.
Dabir was watching the final of the Women's T20C last month. Navgire scored 69 runs. Jemimah Rodrigues played 2 matches and scored 90 runs, while S. Meghana played 1 match and made 73 runs in the WT20. Nooshin Al Khadeer, coach of Supernovas, was impressed by Nav gire and Kanojiya. She was also impressed with Rashi, who watched from the dugout. She believes that playing in a full-fledged tournament will help develop domestic talent.
Shubhangi Kulkarni believes that the Women's IPL will eventually produce better players than the men's version. She believes the main thing Indian players pick and need to pick from the internationals is fitness and running between the wickets. Questions linger about the futures of senior pros Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami.
Domestic cricket provides a platform for young cricketers to take up the game and make cricket a career. Kulkarni and Raman believe that the U-19 World Cup will help boost the development of the sport. They also believe the IPL should focus on the domestic pathways. The ICC kickstarting the World Championship for the girls at the age of 19 is going to have a butterfly effect. It will increase the number of girls playing cricket.
