Follow UsThe Indian cricket team’s victory in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 is the kind of stuff that is made possible only by the contributions of many people, be it on the field, off the field or from behind the curtains of administration.
One such story was told by Women’s Premier League (WPL) chair Jayesh George, who not only credited the league with making the Indian women fearless in their approach, but also the brainchild behind the league – Jay Shah.
Shah, the current ICC Chair, was BCCI Secretary when the long-pending demand for a women’s T20 league, on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was fulfilled.
“As India celebrates our women as world champions, it’s important to recognise the vision that led to this amazing, confident team pulling off an incredible win,” George was quoted as saying by Times of India.
Not only WPL, George feels that the equal-match fees system introduced by Shah was also responsible for boosting the confidence of the women’s team.
“Jay Shah’s equal-pay decision in 2022 set the tone, making parity a practice, not a promise,” said the WPL chair.
“While the WPL gave our athletes a world-class stage and resources, the introduction of age-group tournaments and red-ball cricket domestically brought in depth and a platform where women players were moulded for the big matches,” George added.
With Indian women finally crowned ICC champions, George believes that fully packed stadiums would lead to dreams of playing for India being sown in young girls’ minds across the country as they would aspire for a career in cricket.
“The outcome is visible today with the team giving a fearless performance on the pitch even as enthusiastic fans packed the stadium. Cricket is now not just a dream but a reality for thousands of women who want to play the game,” he said.
The auction for WPL 2026, the fourth season of the league, will reportedly take place on November 26 in New Delhi. The league itself would likely be played between January and February next year.