Women’s Premier League (WPL)

The 2026 Women’s Premier League ran from 09 January to 05 February across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, marking the league’s first shift into a January-February window. The five‑team format remained unchanged, with a double round‑robin league stage followed by an Eliminator and a direct final for the table‑topper. Despite three behind‑closed‑doors matches in Navi Mumbai due to municipal election security limitations, the season maintained strong momentum and delivered a competitive playoff race.

The final at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeat Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets, successfully chasing the target to claim their second WPL title. Delhi once again finished as runners‑up for the 4th consecutive time, extending one of the league’s most intriguing rivalries. The season’s structure, combined with consistent performances from both domestic and international players, reinforced the WPL’s reputation as a high‑quality T20 league and a reliable platform for match‑analysis and informed betting insights.

Off the field, WPL 2026 continued the league’s upward commercial and cultural trajectory. Star Sports and JioHotstar reported strong viewership peaks during the Vadodara leg, while stadium attendance remained in line with previous seasons, with several matches crossing the 15,000‑spectator mark. Sponsorship interest held steady, and prize money followed the established pattern of INR 6 crore for the champions and INR 3 crore for the runners‑up, keeping the WPL among the most lucrative women’s cricket leagues globally.

The 2025 Women’s Premier League delivered a compelling and well‑structured season, played across Bengaluru, Lucknow, Vadodara and Mumbai. The league stage remained competitive throughout, with Delhi Capitals finishing as table‑toppers and Mumbai Indians securing their playoff spot through the Eliminator. The season culminated in a high‑quality final at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on 15 March 2025, where Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by 8 runs, defending 149/7 against 141/9. Harmanpreet Kaur produced a captain’s knock and was named Player of the Match, sealing Mumbai’s second WPL title.

Alongside the on‑field drama, the season recorded a major leap in audience engagement. The opening match drew 30 million TV viewers, marking a 150 percent increase in ratings compared to 2024, while digital viewership on JioHotstar rose by 70 percent year‑on‑year. Connected‑TV consumption doubled, and linear TV viewership grew by 142 percent, reflecting the league’s expanding mainstream appeal. Stadium turnout was also strong, with the Vadodara leg consistently attracting 15,000+ spectators per match.

Commercially, the WPL continued to strengthen its position. Advertiser spending increased by 15-20 percent, and industry projections placed total ad revenue back in the ₹110 crore range, matching the inaugural season’s performance. With a dramatic final, rising fan interest, and clear commercial momentum, the 2025 season provided a complete and memorable chapter for anyone reviewing the league’s recent history.

The 2024 Women’s Premier League delivered a sharp rise in competitiveness and visibility, running from 23 February to 17 March across Bengaluru and Delhi. Five teams returned for the second edition, but the narrative quickly centered around Delhi Capitals’ consistency and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s resurgence. The league stage produced tight finishes and a noticeable improvement in Indian players’ impact, with six of the top ten run‑scorers coming from the domestic pool. The Eliminator in New Delhi set the tone for the knockout phase, where RCB edged Mumbai Indians by 5 runs, defending 135 in a match defined by composure under pressure.

The final brought Delhi Capitals and RCB together in a marquee clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where RCB delivered one of the most complete performances of the season. Delhi were bowled out for 113, unable to counter Shreyanka Patil’s outstanding spell of 4 for 12, before RCB chased the target with eight wickets in hand to secure their first-ever WPL title. Beyond the cricket, the season marked a major leap in audience engagement. Verified industry data showed that WPL 2024 reached 103 million TV viewers within the first 15 matches, nearly doubling the inaugural season’s early reach. Sponsorship interest also climbed, with a 25 percent increase compared to 2023, reflecting the league’s growing commercial weight in India’s sports ecosystem.

The combination of a historic RCB title, rising Indian talent, and a significant jump in viewership cemented WPL 2024 as a breakthrough year. It strengthened the league’s position as a premium women’s cricket property and set the stage for even greater national attention heading into 2025.

The inaugural Women’s Premier League in March 2023 marked a turning point for women’s cricket in India, introducing a fully professional franchise competition modeled on the IPL. Five teams competed in a compact, high‑intensity schedule from 4 to 26 March, with Delhi Capitals dominating the league stage and securing a direct place in the final. Mumbai Indians, after defeating UP Warriorz in the Eliminator, advanced to face Delhi in what became a defining moment for the new league.

The final at the Brabourne Stadium showcased the quality and pressure of top‑tier women’s cricket. Delhi posted 131/9, anchored by Meg Lanning’s 35, but struggled against Hayley Matthews’ exceptional spell of 3 for 5. Mumbai Indians chased the target with confidence, finishing on 134/3, powered by Nat Sciver‑Brunt’s unbeaten 60. The seven‑wicket win crowned Mumbai as the first-ever WPL champions, setting the competitive benchmark for future seasons.

The 2023 edition also delivered strong early indicators of the league’s potential. Verified viewership data confirmed that the inaugural season attracted 50 million viewers across TV and digital in its first 14 matches, with the final alone drawing over 10 million viewers. These numbers positioned the WPL as one of the most-watched women’s sporting events globally at the time and demonstrated India’s appetite for a long‑term, commercially viable women’s cricket league.