People were More Interested in WPL than IPL: Harmanpreet Kaur (Image: Instagram/imharmanpreet_kaur)

The first season of the Women”s Premier League 2023 was a great success and people show more interest than that they do for IPL, said Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

The first edition of the WPL was played in March 2023. It was the team Mumbai Indians, under the captaincy of Ms Kaur, won the opening title. Ms Kaur finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament.

“WPL was a game changer for us. That tournament was so good. Everyone loved it back home”, Indian Express quoted Ms Kaur as saying on Daggers & Lyds podcast.

“The response we got…trust me, some of the audience was more interested in women’s IPL than men’s because it was something new to watch,” she added.

She also expressed her wish to add more teams to WPL. There were only five teams in the first edition of WPL including Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz.

“They really liked it. Hopefully we’ll add more teams. I don’t know when it will happen but eventually it will. We do have very good talent back home. Those girls should get this opportunity”, she said in hope.

Ms Kaur is currently a part of the Trent Rockets squad in the ongoing Women’s Hundred season.

“When I first got to play WBBL, it was a great opportunity because before that we were all playing domestic cricket. There were no overseas players involved. Then I came for KIA league, then I got to play with English players. You need such opportunities”, she said while speaking on her experience in T20 leagues outside of India.

Ms Kaur serves as the captain of the India Women”s National Cricket Team in all formats. She received the Arjuna Award for her dedicated contributions in Cricket in 2017.