Alana King insists women's cricket needs "proper IPL"

The Australia leg-spinner was part of the Supernovas side that won the fourth edition of the T20 Challenge, just a three-team event, last month

Alana King has joined the growing support for a fully-fledged women's Indian Premier League amid reports the BCCI are closer than ever before to committing to a new six-team competition.

ANI understand the country's top decision-makers have identified two windows - March and April or September and October - for the inaugural edition.

Harmanpreet Kaur, Suzie Bates and Heather Knight have all given their backing to an equivalent to the men's competition, which has just concluded its 15th season.

Last month saw the fourth T20 Challenge, which only involves three teams and is currently the closest thing Indian cricket has to a women's IPL.

King was part of the Supernovas side that triumphed this season but feels an expansion is well overdue.

"A lot of the girls are crying out for something like the IPL to start up," King told ESPNcricinfo.

^{Harmanpreet Kaur has given her support to a bespoke women's IPL (SANKA VIDANAGAMA/Getty Images)}

"We've got the Big Bash, there's the Hundred and the women's IPL will be a really good tournament to showcase the Indian domestic players that I came to play alongside and get to know a bit.

"It's scary to see the talent they've got in their domestic system. It will do Indian cricket a world of good as well as world cricket and I think everyone is just excited. 

"The talk was hopefully there's a proper IPL next year and I'll definitely be putting my hand up for it. Hopefully, there's enough traction. There's definitely enough talent within India to start it up."

The final between Supernovas and Velocity attracted a crowd of close to 8,621, a thrill for King who has enjoyed a whirlwind 2022 with her international debut being quickly followed by an Ashes and 50-over World Cup victory.

"It was electric, to be honest," she added. "I've never played in front of a crowd that was so loud you could barely hear yourself think."

Related Topics

• New franchises, leg spin and Kohli: What we learnt from the IPL
• Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross confirmed for Women's T20 Challenge

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