The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly gearing up to introduce women’s Red-Ball Tournament within the country through an upcoming multi-day competition. This move comes on the heels of ongoing discussions within the cricketing circles.
Scheduled to commence shortly after the conclusion of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on March 17, the tournament is slated to begin on March 29 in Pune. It will feature teams representing six zones – East, West, North, South, Central, and NorthEast – competing in a series of five matches, as per a report by Cricbuzz.
The tournament’s format will see two quarterfinals taking place simultaneously from March 29 to 31. Subsequently, the championship will progress to two semifinals, expected to occur concurrently on April 5 to 7. Finally, the grand final is set for April 9 to 11. However, the identities of the two teams directly seeded in the semifinals remain undisclosed at present, the report noted.
This initiative marks a significant step by the BCCI to gauge the feasibility and interest in women’s Red-Ball tournament cricket at the domestic level. It reflects the board’s commitment to fostering a culture where domestic competitions, akin to the Ranji Trophy for men, hold equal importance as the IPL and international cricket.
