The Maharashtra Cricket Association, the governing body for cricket in Maharashtra, made history as the first association under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to inaugurate a state league for women, introducing the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL) 2024.
Scheduled to commence on June 24th, 2024, at the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje, Pune, the WMPL will operate under the auspices of the BCCI. Cricket enthusiasts across India can catch the live broadcast of the WMPL 2024 on JioCinema and Sports 18.
Following the successful model of the (Men’s) Maharashtra Premier League (MPL), WMPL 2024 initiated an open auction for teams, setting the base price at 3 Crores for a duration of three years, ensuring parity between men’s and women’s leagues. The highest bidder gains priority in selecting an iconic player from the roster, featuring renowned names like Smriti Mandhana, Devika Vaidya, Anuja Patil, Kiran Navgire, Tejal Hasabnis, Shraddha Pokharkar, Khushi Mulla, Aarti Kedar, Ishwari Awasare, Ishwari Savkar, and Utkarsha Pawar.
A substantial prize pool of Rs. 20,00,000/- awaits the champions of WMPL 2024, with Rs. 10,00,000/- designated for the runners-up, recognizing their exceptional performances throughout the tournament.
In compliance with BCCI regulations, prospective team/franchise owners are required to have their registered office or place of business within Maharashtra. After a rigorous bidding process, four teams were finalized, granting them the privilege to choose their city and iconic player:
🚨 Great News 🚨
4-team tournament, WMPL featuring icon players like Smriti Mandhana, Anuja Patil, Kiran Navgire, and Devika Vaidya will start in June 2024.
A step in the right direction by Maharashtra Cricket Association 👏 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/LifoOGIPaV
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 28, 2024
1. Suhana Sahyadri Sujanils (4S) secured their bid at 5 Crores 10 Lacs, opting for Pune as their city and selecting Smriti Mandhana, the Indian vice-captain, renowned for her impressive record of over 3000 runs in T20Is, as their icon player.
2. Wine Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. placed a bid of 3 Crores 80 Lacs, selecting Nashik as their city and naming Anuja Patil, a skilled Right-arm off-break bowler with 48 international wickets in 50 innings, as their iconic player.
3. Kapil Sons Group acquired their team for Raigad at 3 Crores 60 Lacs, with power hitter Kiran Navgire chosen as their iconic player.
4. Royal Genius Sports Pvt. Ltd. entered the bidding at 3 Crores 40 Lacs, securing Solapur as their city and finalizing Devika Vaidya as their iconic player.
The remaining seven iconic players and other participating athletes will be featured in an auction event on May 11th, 2024, with the league set to commence on June 24th, 2024.