New Delhi: A new dawn in the Delhi cricket circuit is set to rise as the Women’s Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2024 is scheduled to kick off on Monday. Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) becomes only the second state association to start a franchise-based tournament for women players after the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) led the path in June.
The Women’s DPL 2024 will be a four-team tournament unlike the six teams fielded for their male counterparts. The Bengal Women’s Pro T20 league was played with a full strength of eight teams. However, former Indian women’s cricketer Reema Malhotra is contented with the commencement of the league. She cited the ‘pool of players’ factor played a major role for just four teams.
“If you look at the present scenario then I will definitely say yes (on being satisfied with the number of teams). There are no open trials and this is the first time it took place in the drafting system,” Reema Malhotra told News9 Sports in an exclusive interview ahead of the tournament.
North Delhi Strikers, Central Delhi Queens, East Delhi Riders and South Delhi Superstarz are the four teams to feature in the first season. Top-order batter Priya Punia, who has played 10 ODIs and three T20Is for India at the international stage, will be the face of the East Delhi outfit.
India’s 2023 U19 World Cup victorious team vice-captain Shweta Sehrawat will play for South Delhi Superstarz while wicketkeeper-batter Laxmi Yadav, who was roped in by UP Warriorz in the WPL 2024 auction, will don the jersey of Central Delhi Queens.
Brace yourself for 7️⃣ electrifying women’s fixtures in the #AdaniDPLT20! 😍
Don’t miss a moment of the action, watch live on JioCinema and Sports 18 2! 👀#AdaniDelhiPremierLeagueT20 #DilliKiDahaad pic.twitter.com/hZwWrO7pZn
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) September 2, 2024
Reema Malhotra, who played 1 Test, 41 ODIs, and 22 T20Is for the India women’s cricket team from 2003 to 2013, emphasised the importance of franchise-based T20 leagues at the domestic level in order to bolster the bench strength for the national side.
“I believe every state needs the league if you want to raise the bar of cricket (in the women’s category) and win the ICC tournament. You need to develop each state in that sense,” said the 43-year-old Reema, who is part of the commentary panel for the official broadcasters for DPL.
“Delhi is the second state after Bengal where women’s (franchise) tournaments are happening. So, I feel that it high time Delhi girls will have to realise (on how big opportunity they are getting),” she further emphasised.
✨ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 #AdaniDPLT20 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! 🤩🎊
The Women’s League starts today! Get ready for a whole new level of action and excitement! 🏆💥#AdaniDelhiPremierLeagueT20 #DilliKiDahaad pic.twitter.com/kcG0zxrlOL
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) September 2, 2024
How should Priya Punia look at this league?
For the 28-year-old Priya Punia, the seven-match tournament should be a redemption after the batter has been out of the international reckoning, though she was part of the Test and ODI squads for India’s home series against South Africa earlier this year. To add to the Rajasthan-born player’s difficulty, she went unsold in the two auctions of the WPL 2023 and 2024 seasons.
“If you are talking about Priya Punia particularly then this opportunity for her is a double value as she is in the scheme of things. She has turned up for WPL auctions twice but hasn’t been picked yet,” Reema said.
“If she betters her strike rate along with the consistency factor then definitely she will be noticed. This is the platform that will help her to cross that one move she hasn’t been able to so far,” she added.
Who are the domestic talents to keep an eye on?
Leg-spinner Priya Mishra is part of East Delhi Riders and is likely to pick enough wickets with the pace and intensity she brings to her turns, as Reema Malhotra observed. The 20-year-old was part of the Gujarat Giants squad in WPL 2024 but wasn’t seen in action in the five-team tournament.
Priya recently made her debut for India A team during the Australia tour last month, claiming impressive figures 5 for 14 from four overs in the third ODI match against Australia A before snapping six dismissals in the unofficial Test match in Gold Coast.
Left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia was also part of the Gujarat Giants squad in the inaugural season, but she too, couldn’t make the cut in their playing XI throughout the season. The youngster, who turned 19 on Sunday (September 1), will play for Central Delhi Queens.
Pratika Rawal will strengthen the top order of the East Delhi Riders batting with her inventive technique coupled with her temperament. She can unleash the big hits in the middle of the innings, as Reema called her a ‘compact batter’.
Aayushi Soni was part of the Supernovas squad during the Women’s T20 Challenge, an exhibition tournament for women players before the emergence of the WPL. She made her international debut for India in March 2021 during the third T20I against South African women in Lucknow. Reema said that she has the strike rate and power to show that she is fit for this format.
The Women’s DPL is a seven-match tournament from September 2 to 8. All four teams will play once against the other three opponents, which means each team will play three league games. There will be a total of six league matches with the top two teams qualifying for the final on Sunday (September 8). All the matches will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
The Women’s DPL is a seven-match tournament from September 2 to 8. All four teams will play once against the other three opponents, which means each team will play three league games. There will be a total of six league matches with the top two teams qualifying for the final on Sunday (September 8). Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
