After Odisha Juggernauts In Kho Kho, Franchise In Women’s IPL 2023?

Bhubaneswar: Amid the success of Odisha Juggernauts, which has become the table-toppers with seven wins in eight games in the inaugural Ultimate Kho Kho League, the state is working towards owning a franchise team for Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL).

According to sources, the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has started discussions with the Sports and Youth Services Department and different corporate houses in this regard. It also held talks with a multinational company and its managing director, who expressed satisfaction over the infrastructure facilities, during his visit to Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.

Odisha Bytes contacted OCA secretary Sanjay Behera for his comments but he was not available.

In February this year, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly announced that women’s IPL would be held in 2023 and the BCCI has already tweaked its women’s domestic calendar to accommodate the event, earmarking a one-month window in March 2023 for its inaugural with five-six teams.

The existing IPL franchises will be given preference during the auction for WIPL teams, which is likely to be held at the end of the year, Insides Sports reported, adding that Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals have expressed interest in floating women’s teams in IPL.

The BCCI top brass will finalise the WIPL agenda at the AGM in September, it added.

Notably, Odisha owned Kalinga Lancers, a team for Hockey India League and also supported Odisha FC, a team in ISL League, in the past. And the WIPL can be a big turning point for the players of Odisha.