BCCI To Organise Exhibition Matches For Women's Team: Reports

The idea of BCCI to stage women’s IPL may be far away, but the board seems to take the first step toward the course.

As per a report in TOI, the board is planning to host a couple of exhibition matches of women’s team during the playoff stage of IPL 2018.

This implies that the women’s team might play IPL style games during the time of playoffs.

“If we find that we can host a few exhibition matches then BCCI would like to do it this year. The women cricketers deserve to play IPL,” Vinod Rai, head of COA, told TOI on Sunday.

Since England and Australian teams are set to travel to India, the idea can be materialized.

The voice to organise a women’s IPL came into existence after the success of women’s team in the 2017 World Cup.

The Mithali Raj led team ended up as the runner-up of the tournament and missed the opportunity to lift the cup by a small margin.

It was the second time when India played the final.

It was in 2005 when the first time India played final, and that time they ended up as runner-up.

That game was not a televised event.

Since 2017 final was a televised event, the women’s team got its much deserved praise, and the received a rousing welcome too.

All this led to voice being raised for equality in women’s cricket too.

An IPL for women may the best thing.

However, practically, there are many barriers along the way.

A small tournament or exhibition matches – what board is planning to do – is probably the best way to test out the feasibility of the tournament before the board rolls out a practical plan.

The eleventh edition of IPL is all set to start on April 7, with the opening game to be played in Mumbai – at the home ground of the defending champions, Mumbai Indians.

The final of the tournament will also be played at Wankhede Stadium on May 27.

A total of nine venues across the country will host the tournament.

Rajasthan and Chennai will also host IPL games this season as the franchise based out of that states are making a comeback in IPL after two years.

Follow more news about IPL 2018 here.

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