Every wicket is going to be a victory for gender equality in cricket: Sachin Tendulkar’s message ahead of WPL

Meanwhile, the WPL began in earnest with a star studded opening opening ceremony at the DY Patil stadium with performances from Bolywood stars Kriti Sanon, Kiara Advani and singer AP Dhillon. After that, there was the trophy unveiling with all the captains of the 5 franchises namely Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Alyssa Healey all on stage.

As the @wplt20 begins, let's remember that every boundary will be broken & hit out of the park for a six, and every wicket is going to be a victory for gender equality in cricket. Let's cheer on the incredible women making her-story! All the best @BCCI for organizing it.#WPL2023

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 4, 2023

The 21-match tournament commenced with Gujarat Giants taking on India captain Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians in the tournament-opener.

Women cricketers will not only get the much-needed exposure to take their game to the next level but also enjoy the perks of a cash-rich tournament.

The inaugural edition of the T20 league will feature a total of five teams and 87 players, with girls as young as a little above 15 set to ply their trade with and against some the best in the world.

The competition consists of an overall 21 matches including two knockout games, and will be played across two venues in Mumbai, with the iconic Brabourne Stadium being the other.

WPL created a compelling buzz in the world of cricket, with the five franchises being sold for a grand total of INR 4,669 crore, which includes Adani Group’s purchase of the Gujarat franchise for a whopping INR 1,289 crore.

The player auction witnessed a total of INR 59.50 crore spent by the five franchises, not only providing the players with a further boost to their financial being, but also ensuring a promising road ahead to young girls whose India’s star batter Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive buy at the auction held in Mumbai — Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bought her for INR 3.4 crore and expectedly named her the captain.