MCA launches Women's T20 Mumbai League; three teams fetch in excess of INR 4 crore
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has sold three franchises for its upcoming women's T20 league, which will be organised on the lines of the men's T20 Mumbai League, a franchise-based competition modelled on the IPL. The sale of the three teams has added over INR 4 crore to the MCA's coffers. Tentatively, the association plans to stage the women's league alongside the men's tournament from June 1 to 15, immediately after the conclusion of the IPL.
While the finer details are yet to be finalized, the seven-match women's league will feature three icon players - Jemimah Rodrigues, Saima Thakor, and Sayali Satghare - subject, of course, to their availability. The league will be exclusively for women cricketers from Mumbai, which, unlike in other states, has around 55 affiliated clubs. The MCA also plans to conduct an auction.
"The overwhelming response to the bidding process for the T20 Mumbai Women's League is a strong endorsement of our vision to elevate women's cricket in Mumbai. The participation of reputed corporate groups reflects the growing commercial confidence in the women's game. We are committed to building a competitive and professionally managed league that provides a robust platform for emerging talent," Ajinkya Naik, the MCA president said.
After opening the bids on Saturday, PRS Infraprojects LLP (INR 2,25,00,000, Rank 1), Roadway Solution India Infra Ltd - INR. 1,09,00,000, Rank 2) and World Star Sporting Private Limited - INR 79,00,000 (Rank 3) have bagged the three teams. The MCA said the three successful bidders (Rank 1 to 3) will be awarded the rights to operate the three teams, subject to completion of the necessary formalities and execution of agreements. Details will be decided by the T20 Mumbai Governing Council soon.
"The successful conclusion of the bidding process marks an important milestone for the T20 Mumbai Women's League. The strong bids received underline the league's credibility and potential. We look forward to working closely with the franchise owners to deliver a high-quality tournament that showcases the depth of women's cricketing talent in Mumbai," Rajdip Gupta, the T20 Mumbai League Governing Council Chairman, said.
