Women’s cricket in India – numbers breaking stereotypes

The stereotype suggests that women’s cricket remains in the shadow of the men’s game and can’t be commercially successful. But that view is outdated. According to 1xBet, during women’s tournaments (WPL, Women’s World Cup), betting volume beats events like India vs Bangladesh, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), and even English Premier League (EPL) matches.

History of struggle: how Indian women broke through in cricket

Women’s cricket in India has a tough history. First matches were held back in the 1970s, but without full support from the federation, without TV broadcasts, and spectators.

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Everything changed after the breakthrough in 2017 – India’s women’s team reached the World Cup final, where they lost in a dramatic match. That defeat became a turning point, as belief grew in Indian society that the girls could bring the trophy home.

In 2020 came another leap – the T20 World Cup final, where the Indian women once again fought for the title. That’s when a new narrative was born – women in cricket became national heroes. Total viewing time for women’s matches in India grew by 2.45 times.

It’s also worth mentioning the Women’s Asia Cup, held since 2004 and considered a key regional tournament. As of 2024, there have been 9 editions, and India has won 7 of them. It’s the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history.

WPL – historic turning point

In 2023, BCCI launched Women’s Premier League (WPL) – a full, well-organised league with franchises, drafts, TV rights, studios, and advertising. By 2024, the WPL had over 103 million TV viewers, and the final drew over 30,000 fans to the stadium.

In 2025, numbers grew even more. According to Jay Shah, over 30 million viewers watched the opening match, TV ratings rose by 150%, and the digital audience grew by 70%. The JioStar platform recorded:

• 142 % growth in linear TV audience
• twice as many views on CTV compared with 2024
• total reach – 300 million viewers

The WPL officially became the second-most valuable women’s league in the world after the US WNBA.

Women’s cricket catching up with men’s game

According to Kantar’s India in Search study, interest in women’s cricket in India grew by 103% in the past year. With 223 million monthly searches, it’s already a serious influence factor.

The 2020 WT20 final at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was attended by 86,000 fans – just slightly fewer than the men’s final at the same stadium. In India, the final’s broadcast had 9.02 million TV viewers, with a total watch time of 5.4 billion minutes in the country.

In 2023, the Women’s T20 World Cup set a new global record – 192 million hours watched worldwide, 44% more than in 2020. In India alone, ICC reports 105 million TV viewers for the tournament, still less than the men’s T20 WC 2022 (167 million TV reach in India), but growth rates are impressive.

The 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup got 1.64 billion video views on ICC digital platforms – the highest digital result among all women’s tournaments and third overall among ICC tournaments after men’s ODI WC 2019 and T20 WC 2021.

Commercially, women’s cricket hasn’t yet reached the men’s level. Media rights for men’s IPL are valued at $6.2 billion, while the WPL rights are $116 million for five years (Viacom18). At the same time, growth is unprecedented: in 2025, the WPL attracted 70 brands across 45 categories, 40% more than in 2023.

1xBet on support

While some still see women’s sport as a niche, the WPL and the Women’s World Cup are already beating some men’s tournaments in views, bets, and commercial growth.

1xBet supports this breakthrough by creating a space where women in cricket can be heard, noticed, and recognised. To highlight the ICC Women’s 2025 Cricket World Cup, starting on 30 September, the company will launch the World Cup Queens 2025 cricket tournament, where participants can win Apple MacBook Pro 16" M4 laptops, Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max smartphones, Apple Watch Series 10 smartwatches, and other gadgets.

“We believe women’s cricket in India has moved beyond the ‘potential’ stage – women in cricket have repeatedly shown they are strong players. That’s why we named our campaign World Cup Queens 2025. It’s not just about the championship – it’s about recognising that Indian players have already become queens of cricket. And we are confident they will prove their dominance on the world stage again this year,” said the 1xBet press service.

About 1xBet

1xBet is a globally recognised bookmaker with 18 years in the betting industry. The brand’s customers can place bets on thousands of sporting events, with the company’s website and app available in 70 languages. The official partner list of 1xBet includes FC Barcelona, LOSC Lille, La Liga, Serie A, European Cricket Network, Durban’s Super Giants, and other renowned sports brands and organisations. The company’s ambassadors in India are famous cricketer Heinrich Klaasen and actress Urvashi Rautela. The company has repeatedly been a nominee and recipient of prestigious professional honours such as IGA, SBC, G2E Asia, and EGR Nordics Awards.