In an effort to promote women’s cricket across India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to host the Women’s Premier League (WPL) across four major venues—Mumbai, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Vadodara—starting in the first week of February.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that the tournament will be held across these venues, with the Mumbai leg taking place at Brabourne Stadium. Initially, the Board had planned to host the tournament only in Lucknow and Vadodara. However, after deliberations during a Governing Council meeting on Sunday, it was decided to include Mumbai and Bengaluru due to their strong fanbase and past success in hosting the tournament.
The popularity of women’s cricket in Mumbai and Bengaluru was a key factor in this decision, as both cities saw packed stadiums during previous editions. The tournament will begin in Mumbai before moving to Lucknow and Bengaluru. The final, scheduled for March, will be held at the newly-built Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, located 20 kilometers from the city.
The Kotambi Stadium, which recently hosted its first international match during a three-match ODI series between India’s women’s team and the West Indies, is also currently hosting the knockout stage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The inaugural WPL match will be played in Mumbai, where the women’s team has always enjoyed large crowds at venues like Brabourne, Wankhede, and DY Patil Stadium.
Read also: