WPL 2024 May Follow Multi-City Format; Mumbai, Bengaluru Front-Runners

The second edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) is likely to follow a multi-city format similar to the IPL and the matches may be played across Mumbai and Bengaluru. All the matches of the inaugural WPL was played between March 4 and 26 earlier this year at the DY Patil Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium. “The final decision (about venues) might come on December 9 (the day of the WPL auction) but it is highly likely that this year it (WPL) will follow the multi-city format with Mumbai and Bengaluru being the front-runners at this moment,” a BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. “The WPL was received well by the fans in the opening year, and it is the right time to take it to different cities. Bengaluru always has a good audience for women's cricket, and it has now grown because of the RCB women's team.” Mumbai and Karnataka cricket association officials too expressed readiness to host the matches, if indeed they come their way.

Royal Challengers Bangalore women's team captain Smriti Mandhana too had backed the multi-city format for the WPL.

“It would be great to have WPL in multi-city format. That might be the next step and I am sure people right here would look into it and make it happen. As an RCB fan, I would love to play in Chinnaswamy where people are chanting ‘RCB, RCB' and just to be in that environment,” Mandhana had said during the recent RCB Innovation Lab's Leaders Meet India.

“That is something which is one step ahead for us that it (multi-city format) can reach to places where women's cricket hasn't reached and to get a new audience going into women's cricket,” Mandhana added.