"WPL Will Revolutionise Women's Cricket": BCCI Secretary Jay Shah

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah said on Tuesday the Women's Premier League will set a template for other sports to follow suit, just like it happened with men's Indian Premier League and it will revolutionise the way people look at women's cricket. The auction for the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) edition was conducted successfully on Monday.

"The WPL is going to revolutionise the way we look at women's cricket. The huge success of the WPL auction has not only given an opportunity to many prospective talent to showcase their skills on the big stage but also to young budding cricketers to take centerstage on a global level. The reception from fans around the world has been overwhelmingly positive and this will only continue to grow as the league matures. The WPL will set a template for other sports to follow suit. We saw what happened with the men's IPL and how other sporting leagues cropped up after 2008. The WPL will ensure the growth of multi-genre sport among women," Shah told ANI.

Shah said that WPL was created not only as a platform for women in India and across the world to showcase and hone their cricket, but also to inspire the next generation of women to make professional sports a career option.

"Without a ball being bowled, the WPL is the largest sporting league. With women's cricket well on its way to cement itself in mainstream sports, the WPL will only fortify the ecosystem around women's cricket. The initial response to the WPL has definitely showcased the potential the league has to become the biggest women's domestic sporting tournament," added Shah.

The inaugural edition of WPL will be played in Mumbai from March 4 to 26 across two Mumbai venues and