When is the inaugural Women's IPL going to be held? BCCI reportedly earmarks window

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly set aside a window in March 2023 for the inaugural edition of the Women's IPL. According to ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI has made changes to its women's domestic calendar to create a window for the first-ever Women's IPL. 

The women's domestic season in India usually takes place from November to April. However, the BCCI has advanced the dates for the women's season by a month and will now organise their competitions from October to February to accommodate the women's IPL. 

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has already confirmed that the women's IPL will be held in 2023. In February this year, Ganguly stated that the BCCI is working on organising the maiden edition of the women's IPL next year. 

"We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year i.e. 2023 will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women's IPL which will be as big and grand a success as men's IPL," Ganguly said . 

The BCCI has been organising the Women’s T20 challenge tournament, which has gained much popularity and craze among cricket lovers in India in the past couple of years. The competition started as a one-off exhibition match between two teams in 2018 before becoming a three-team tournament. 

Despite the T20 Challenge tournament, there have been growing demands from all sections of the cricketing community to launch the women's IPL. Earlier, former India women's team captain Mithali Raj had taken to social media to show her support for the women's IPL. Mithali had said that one of the biggest benefits of women's IPL will be that the talent pool will increase and the transition of domestic players to the international stage will be easier. 

"Wipl will be a huge boost to women's cricket. One of the biggest benefit will be that the talent pool will increase and the transition for a domestic player to international will become easier . Rubbing shoulders with international stars helps in doing that (sic),” Mithali tweeted.

Image: iplt20.com/BCCI