Dates, fixtures, squads, TV and streaming information, format... The Cricketer has all the information you need ahead of the inaugural edition of the WPL
The inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League, India's new T20 franchise competition.
The WPL starts on March 4 when Gujarat Giants take on Mumbai Indians in Mumbai.
The group stage, which features 20 matches, will continue until March 21, with the top-three sides progressing to a two-match playoff series from March 24-26.
There are five teams involved in the WPL: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz.
Three of the sides – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, and RCB – have the same owners as their namesake IPL sides. Gujarat Giants, based in Ahmedabad, were bought by the Adani Group while the Capri Global-owned UP Warriorz are a Lucknow-based franchise.
Matches will be split between Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium and Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium.
Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of the 2023 WPL season [Mumbai Indians]
The five teams will contest a double round robin group stage, with the side in first place after eight matches advancing straight to the final (March 26)
The second and third-placed sides will play an eliminator on March 24, with a spot in the final at stake.
Seven England internationals were among the 87 players picked up at February's auction, with Alice Capsey (Delhi Capitals), Sophia Dunkley (Gujarat Giants), Nat Sciver-Brunt - the most expensive overseas player alongside Australia's Ashleigh Gardner, Issy Wong (both Mumbai Indians), Heather Knight (RCB), Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell (both UP Warriorz) all securing contracts.
India international Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive player at the auction, picked up by RCB for £340,000. Pace bowler Renuka Singh, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh and overseas quartet Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Megan Schutt, and Dane van Niekerk are RCB's other headline players.
Four Australia internationals – Gardner, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, and Georgia Wareham – and former West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin will represent Gujarat Giants while big hitting India duo Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma will be joined by the likes of Meg Lanning, Laura Harris, Jess Jonassen and Marizanne Kapp at Delhi Capitals. USA international Tara Norris, the only associate player bought at auction, will also represent the Capitals.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and overseas allrounders Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), and Chloe Tryon (South Africa) will turn out for Mumbai Indians while there will be an Australian flavour at UP Warriorz, with Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris representing the Lucknow franchise alongside Deepti Sharma and Shweta Sehrawat, the leading run-scorer at the Under-19 T20 World Cup.
In total, 87 players have been recruited for the tournament, including 57 Indian players, 14 Australians and seven from England. Four South Africans, two players apiece from New Zealand and West Indies, and one from USA complete the 30-strong overseas contingent.
Delhi Capitals captains Meg Lanning prior to the 2023 WPL season [Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images]
Viacom18 are the official broadcast partners for the WPL, signing a five-year deal worth £97.5m in January 2023.
Viewers in India will be able to watch every match on the Sports18 network. The tournament can also be streamed via the JioCinema app.
In the UK, Sky Sports have secured the broadcast rights and will show all 22 matches across Sky Sports Main Event channel 401/Virgin 501), Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404/Virgin 504) and Sky Sports Mix (channel 416/Virgin 510).
Fans in Australia can watch the WPL unfold on Fox Sports.
In New Zealand, the tournament will be shown on Sky Sport NZ.
SuperSport will broadcast the full tournament in South Africa and Sub-Saharan regions.
In USA, Willow TV will have all of the action.
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