MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that there will be a T20 exhibition match for women ahead of the Indian Premier League play-offs for the current season on 22 May at the Wankhede cricket stadium in Mumbai.
The IPL governing council has sanctioned a match that will see four foreign players in each team that will start at 2.30 pm on the day of the first qualifier of the 2018 season of the IPL, Times of India reports.
The BCCI has been actively considering a women’s T20 tournament for a while on the lines of the existing tournament for men in India. The proposal has gained significant momentum following the success of similar tournaments across the globe – notably the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia that has seen Indian stars Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy participate.
Head of the BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) Vinod Rai has suggested that the match will be a ‘precursor’ to a women’s tournament over the years.
There will be 10 foreign players and 20 Indian players across both teams. The Indian players will be picked by the national selection committee and the game, which will start at 2.30 pm, will be shown live on IPL host broadcaster Star Sports.
Reports suggest that the BCCI has contacted the cricketing boards of Australia, England and South Africa to ensure their players’ availability. The names of players are expected to be made public soon.
