It’s not just about money anymore. It’s about access. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dropped a bombshell in New Delhi, confirming that the board is actively hunting for ways to bloat the WPL roster from its current five teams. The trigger? A glaring talent bottleneck at the 2027 auction in Kochi, where the math simply didn't work out for thousands of aspiring cricketers.
Saikia didn't mince words about the disparity. He pointed to the stark reality: roughly 150 players were in the running, but the franchises could only pick 27. "So we can very easily see that five number of teams are really less compared to the number of supply chain of girls cricketers," Saikia told IANS. It’s a clear signal that the current model is choking its own growth.
The numbers are forcing the hand. With the 2027 season slated for January 14 to February 7, the BCCI is already in brainstorming mode to add teams and boost player budgets. The goal is simple: widen the net so that domestic standouts don't get left behind. It’s a structural shift, not just a cosmetic one.
Meanwhile, the league’s impact on youth is already showing. Saikia specifically called out Delhi Capitals for signing 15-year-old uncapped all-rounder Uma Kashvi for Rs 10 lakh. "I am very happy that a young girl of 15 years got an opportunity to play in the WPL," he said. It’s a success story that proves the league is doing more than just paying big checks to established stars.
With India sitting as ODI World Cup champions, the pressure is on to keep the pipeline fresh. Saikia sees the WPL as a cornerstone of that dominance, comparing its stature to the IPL. The next few months will reveal just how aggressively the board intends to scale up the game.