BCCI Secretary Backs Expanding Women's Premier League

Expanding the Women's Premier League is now under active discussion at the BCCI. Secretary Devajit Saikia has said the board will look at increasing the number of teams from next year, pointing to the strong demand seen at the latest player auction.

The WPL 2027 auction in Kochi drew around 150 players, but only 25 were picked by the five franchises. The league launched in 2023 with five teams, and its next season will run from January 14 to February 7.

In a video released on the WPL's official social media platform, Saikia said the number of cricketers far outweighed the available places. "We have almost 150 players competing, and we had to take only around 27. Many players still remained out. Looking at the number of cricketers, five teams are really small. From next year, definitely, we will have to increase the number of teams and also work on other areas where we can do better."

He made it clear that the changes would go beyond the playing field. "It is not only about players. We are involved in coaches, selectors and many other areas, and there are multiple stakeholders here."

The current five-team format leaves out a large share of India's rising domestic talent. Officials see the addition of one or two franchises, alongside a bigger player budget, as a way to give more athletes a chance to be part of the league.

Saikia said the league's influence reaches the whole ecosystem. "Everything around the ecosystem is positively impacted by WPL. This is a brilliant start, and it is a wonderful journey. I hope the league progresses very quickly in the coming years."

He was particularly pleased by the selection of 15-year-old uncapped all-rounder Uma Kashvi, who went to Delhi Capitals for Rs 10 lakh. "I am very happy that a young girl of 15 has got the opportunity to play in the league. This is a success. We want to bring as many women cricketers as possible to play and be part of this success story of Indian women's cricket."

Saikia credited the WPL with a major role in advancing women's cricket in India. He noted that India are currently the ODI world champions and said the league's reach across the country shows how much it has grown. He also described the WPL as one of the largest franchise cricket leagues in the world after the IPL, adding that the league has made a real contribution to Indian women's cricket.