Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman has expressed a strong desire to eventually enter the Women’s Premier League (WPL), saying the rapid rise of women’s cricket in India has made the tournament one of the sport’s most exciting long-term investments.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has ruled out immediate expansion of the WPL beyond its current five-team structure, interest from IPL franchise owners continues to grow steadily. Punjab Kings is among the IPL teams yet to own a women’s side in the WPL, alongside Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants, but Burman’s latest comments underline how closely franchises continue to follow the growth of the competition.
The Women’s Premier League has transformed the landscape of women’s cricket in India since its launch in 2023. In just four seasons, the tournament has become one of the most commercially successful women’s sporting leagues in the world, significantly increasing the visibility of players while also deepening India’s domestic talent pool.
Burman believes the league has already exceeded expectations in terms of both quality and impact. “The WPL has already established itself as an important platform for the women’s game in a very short period of time. The growth of women’s cricket has been fantastic to witness,” Burman said.
The tournament currently features five teams, including IPL-owned franchises Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals, alongside UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants. The league has played a major role in turning Indian stars like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues into household names while also providing young domestic cricketers with exposure alongside some of the biggest international players in the game.
India’s success at the international level has further accelerated the popularity of the women’s game. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side lifted the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title for the first time last year, and expectations remain high ahead of next month’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, where India is considered one of the strongest contenders.
Burman made it clear that Punjab Kings’ absence from the WPL so far should not be interpreted as hesitation about women’s cricket itself, adding that timing and long-term strategy often shape franchise decisions. “As for investment decisions, every group evaluates opportunities differently depending on timing, strategic priorities and long-term business considerations. Not investing initially should not be interpreted as a lack of belief in women’s cricket,” Burman said.
The Punjab Kings co-owner also openly admitted that the franchise would welcome the opportunity to own a women’s team whenever expansion eventually becomes possible. “Personally, I think the future of the women’s game is extremely bright. We would love to own a women’s IPL team,” Burman said.
One of the biggest changes brought about by the WPL, according to Burman, has been the effect it is having at the grassroots level. Young girls across India are now seeing women’s cricket as a realistic professional pathway, something that was far less visible even a decade ago. “Young girls today can see women cricketers as major sporting icons and viable professional athletes, and that changes the future of the sport entirely,” Burman said.
The BCCI has maintained that its immediate focus remains on strengthening the existing five-team structure before considering expansion. However, with broadcast numbers continuing to grow and more IPL owners publicly expressing interest, the demand for additional teams appears inevitable in the long run.
(Quotes sourced from PTI)
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