Following a triumphant inaugural season last year, fans are eagerly looking forward to the next edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Although official details about the season are still under wraps, recent developments are shedding light on what’s to come. With player retentions complete, we now have information about the auction date and the scheduled month for the forthcoming edition of WPL.
As reported by Cricbuzz, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) players’ auction is tentatively scheduled for December 9. Although the exact auction venue is still pending confirmation, it will likely be held in India. It’s worth noting that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet provided official details regarding the auction’s location and dates to the team owners.
The entirety of the WPL|01 was held in Mumbai across two venues – DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium, from the 4th to the 26th of March. It’s now understood that the BCCI is considering a shift for the upcoming edition to February. This change in schedule could potentially lead to the event being hosted in different cities, allowing curators ample time to prepare pitches for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
🚨 JUST IN 🚨
The WPL auction is planned for December 9. The venue isn't finalized yet. #CricketTwitter via: Cricbuzz pic.twitter.com/cp7ye4Qwik
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) October 26, 2023
The preparation of pitches for the IPL, which follows the WPL, was one of several reasons, alongside concerns about travel and player fatigue, leading the BCCI to choose a city-centric format in the inaugural edition. However, there is now a potential for the WPL to be spread across multiple locations in the upcoming edition.
BCCI Secretary, Mr. Jay Shah, earlier this year stated, “We are mulling the possibility of scheduling the WPL in the home and away format.” However, teams are yet to hear the final word from the BCCI on whether the 2024 WPL will remain city-centric.
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed earlier this year, “We are hoping to increase the number of teams, but for the coming three seasons, it will remain five.” Therefore, it’s certain that it will be a 5-team tournament. However, by staging the tournament early by a few days, the BCCI could potentially add another round of games, providing the WPL with a much-needed extended run.
Moving the tournament to February is a positive development. Whether it results in an extended WPL season or a multi-venue tournament, only time will reveal. Nonetheless, if either or both of these scenarios materialize, it will mark a fitting start to a new season.
Following their Gold medal finish at the Asian Games in September, the Indian women’s team in the lead-up to the 2024 WPL would have already played a lot of cricket with the domestic season currently going on and the senior national team scheduled to face both England and Australia in December and January. Notably, all 11 matches of the are reportedly set to be played in Mumbai, with the iconic Wankhede Stadium, among others under consideration to host these series.