The board is planning to have five or six teams in the inaugural edition of women’s IPL but it will need AGM’s approval first

The board is planning to have five or six teams in the inaugural edition. All the existing ten men’s IPL franchises will be given the first right of refusal to buy the women’s IPL teams.

It is learnt that at least four men’s IPL franchises are interested in knowing from the BCCI what is on the table in case they want to invest in the WIPL.

“It [the full-fledged women’s IPL] has to be approved by the AGM. We plan to start it by next year hopefully,” Ganguly told reporters after the IPL governing council meeting in Mumbai on Friday.

According to Patel, there would be five or six teams in the Women’s IPL but again that would need the approval of the General Body.

With the second half of the IPL being shifted to the UAE because of the pandemic, the Women’s T20 Challenge was not held last year. However, it was staged in the UAE in 2020 when Trailblazers won the title.

The IPL starts on Saturday with defending champions Chennai Super Kings up against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.