The Indian Premier League chairman Arun Dhumal has confirmed that there are no immediate plans to increase the number of teams in the Women’s Premier League despite its early success.
The WPL 2025 recently concluded on March 15 with Mumbai Indians winning their second title by beating Delhi Capitals in the final. The tournament caught numerous eyeballs as the matches were highly gripping.
Despite the success, Dhumal wants to consolidate the league with no immediate plans to expand the number of teams. “To further strengthen this tournament for the time being, we want to consolidate before we take a call on further addition of any team. There are no immediate plans (to add teams),” Dhumal said as quoted by the PTI.
He knows the league has grown manifolds but wants this to continue. “So, within three editions, WPL has grown phenomenally in terms of traction, for in-stadium attendance. All the broadcast numbers are very, very encouraging. And it has given new impetus to women’s cricket worldwide. So, we are hoping this continues to grow. And this augurs very well for not only the tournament but women’s cricket in general,” Dhumal added.
The WPL currently features five teams – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants – since its inception in 2023. Unlike the IPL, three teams qualify for the knockouts in the WPL. The top-ranked team after the double-round robing league stage enters the final, while the second and third-placed teams play the Eliminator. The last two get knocked out.
The WPL became the second-biggest women’s league in the world after its media rights were sold for a whopping sum of Rs 951 crore. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had generated a sum of Rs 4670 crore from the sale of the five franchises.
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in WPL, having won the title twice. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led team defeated Delhi Capitals in the 2023 final to win their maiden crown, before beating them again in 2025.
The Capitals are the serial finalists but end up falling short on the final hurdle each time. They also lost the 2024 final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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