Women's T20 Challenge Explained

Women's T20 Challenge
Country:India
Administrator:Board of Control for Cricket in India
Cricket Format:Twenty20
First:2018
Last:2022
Tournament Format:Round-robin and final
Participants:3
Champions:IPL Supernovas (3rd title)
Most Successful:IPL Supernovas (3 titles)

The Women's T20 Challenge was an Indian women's cricket Twenty20 tournament that was held between 2018 and 2022. The tournament featured three teams, playing a round-robin group followed by a final. IPL Supernovas were the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with three title wins.

The tournament was replaced by a new franchise-based annual T20 tournament, the Women's Premier League, which began in 2023.

History

The idea for a women's version of the Indian Premier League was suggested after the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, where the India women's national cricket team finished second.[1] The tournament was first introduced in 2018, as a single match held in Mumbai prior to one of the men's matches. The match featured teams named IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas.[2] [3] In 2019, the Women's T20 Challenge was expanded to a three team tournament instead of a one-off match, with a new team called IPL Velocity competing alongside the IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas,[4] [5] in a round-robin format with the top two teams progressing to the final.[1] The 2020 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, alongside the rearranged men's IPL.[6]

In November 2020, Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly suggested an expansion of the Women's T20 Challenge to 7 or 8 teams in 2022.[7] There were suggestions of adding a fourth team for the 2021 season,[8] but this was decided against due to the ongoing issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The 2021 event was postponed along with the men's IPL, with no indication of a date for the women's event being played.[6] It was not held at the same time as the rearranged men's event, as the dates clashed with India women's tour of Australia.[10] In March 2022, the BCCI announced plans to start a women's IPL by 2023, with five or six teams in the inaugural edition.[11] The 2022 event took place in May 2022, to coincide with the playoffs of the men's IPL.[10]

In March 2022, BCCI announced a new franchise-based annual T20 tournament starting in 2023 to replace the Women's T20 Challenge,[12] which was later named the Women's Premier League.[13]

Teams

Team Wins Runners-up
3 1
1 1
0 2

Tournament results

In the inaugural edition, IPL Supernovas won the match by 3 wickets in a last over thriller.[14] [15] IPL Supernovas beat IPL Velocity by 4 wickets in the second edition and retained their title.[16] [17] In 2020, IPL Trailblazers beat IPL Supernovas by 16 runs in the third edition and won their maiden title.[18] [19] In 2022, IPL Supernovas won their third title, beating IPL Velocity by four runs in the final.[20]

SeasonFinalFinal venue
WinnerResultRunner-up
2018
Details
IPL Supernovas
130/7 (20 overs)
IPL Supernovas won by 3 wicketsIPL Trailblazers
129/6 (20 overs)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
2019
Details
IPL Supernovas
125/6 (20 overs)
IPL Supernovas won by 4 wicketsIPL Velocity
121/6 (20 overs)
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
2020
Details
IPL Trailblazers
118/8 (20 overs)
IPL Trailblazers won by 16 runsIPL Supernovas
102/7 (20 overs)
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
2022
Details
IPL Supernovas
165/7 (20 overs)
IPL Supernovas won by 4 runsIPL Velocity
161/8 (20 overs)
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Women's IPL 2020: The origins of the Women's T20 Challenge. Sportskeeda. 2 November 2020. 2 January 2021.
  2. News: Women Cricketers Excited Ahead of Historic IPL Exhibition Match. 2018-05-21. News18. 3 January 2020.
  3. News: IPL 2018: Women's T20 Challenge Match To Be Played Before Qualifier 1 In Mumbai – NDTV Sports. NDTVSports.com. NDTVSports.com. 3 January 2020. en.
  4. News: BCCI confirms three-team Women's T20 challenge. Cricbuzz. Cricbuzz.com. 3 January 2020. en.
  5. Web site: Women's T20 Challenge a step towards an IPL for Harmanpreet, Mandhana and Co . ESPNcricinfo . 4 January 2020.
  6. News: Women's T20 Challenge: Top 5 individual performances . Sportskeeda. 19 June 2021. 24 June 2021.
  7. News: IPL 2021 in India, 7–8 team women's league in 2022: Sourav Ganguly. DNA India. 8 November 2020. 11 March 2021.
  8. News: Women's T20 Challenge likely in Delhi, decision on fourth team soon. The New Indian Express. 5 April 2021. 26 April 2021.
  9. Web site: IPL 2021: Why Women's IPL is still a distant dream?. The Bridge. 11 April 2021. 26 April 2021.
  10. Web site: Women's T20 Challenge to be held in May 2022, confirms Sourav Ganguly. Female Cricket. 3 February 2022. 24 February 2022.
  11. Web site: BCCI plans to start women's IPL by 2023; Women's T20 Challenge returns this season . 2022-03-26 . ESPNcricinfo . en.
  12. News: BCCI proposes six-team women's IPL from next year. Cricbuzz. 26 March 2022. en.
  13. News: Ghosh . Annesha . 2023-02-03 . 'Game changer': why the Women's Premier League is a revolution for players and fans . en-GB . The Guardian . 2023-02-05 . 0261-3077.
  14. Web site: 2018 Women's T20 Challenge one-off match . ESPNcricinfo . 4 January 2020.
  15. News: Suzie Bates, Ellyse Perry call the shots in last-ball cliffhanger . International Cricket Council . 3 January 2020. en.
  16. Web site: 2019 Women's T20 Challenge Final . ESPNcricinfo . 3 January 2020.
  17. Web site: Harmanpreet Kaur 51 sets up Supernovas' last-ball win in final . ESPNcricinfo . 4 January 2020.
  18. Web site: Smriti Mandhana 68, Salma Khatun three-for lead Trailblazers to 2020 Women's T20 Challenge title . ESPNcricinfo . 10 November 2020.
  19. Web site: Mandhana, spinners clinch maiden title for Trailblazers . Cricbuzz . 10 November 2020.
  20. Web site: Dottin and Ecclestone bring the crown home for Supernovas . ESPNcricinfo . 13 March 2023.