We are expecting to launch much-awaited Women's IPL early next year: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly 

Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has claimed that the work for the inaugural edition of the Women's Indian Premier League (WIPL) is underway.

So far, only a three-team annual competition in the form of the Women's T20 Challenge has been conducted during the men's IPL window.

Multiple existing IPL owners have already expressed interest in owning WIPL franchises. With India's home season effectively underway with the ongoing series against Australia, the Women's IPL will likely be conducted early next year, prior to the men's edition.

Ganguly informed the state associations in an email on Tuesday:

"The BCCI is currently working on the much-awaited women's IPL. We are expecting to start the first season early next year. More details will follow in the due course."

He added:

"We are glad to introduce a girls U-15 tournament from this season. Women's cricket has seen phenomenal growth across the world and our national team has been performing well.

"This new tournament will create a pathway for our girls to play at the international level."

This comes as a huge breakthrough for the Indian women's team, who defeated England by 88 runs on Wednesday (September 21). The win takes them 2-0 up in the three-match ODI series, marking their first series win in the country since 1999.

"The next season of men's IPL will also go back to the home and away format" - Sourav Ganguly

Over the course of the last few editions, the IPL has been forced to seek avenues in neutral venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted one and a half seasons, while the rest of the fixtures were completed in a few select venues across the country.

Confirming that the home and away system will make a return during the 2023 edition of the IPL, Ganguly wrote:

"The next season of men's IPL will also go back to the home and away format with all the 10 teams playing their home matches at their designated venues."

The home season for the Indian men's team will be staged in two halves. They are currently scheduled to face Australia and South Africa before departing for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

The Men in Blue are then slated to face Sri Lanka and New Zealand on home soil. Ganguly added:

"The BCCI's home international season starts from today and we have exciting cricketing action coming our way.

"The Indian men's senior team will be playing against Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the home international series. The Indian women's senior team will be playing against Australia."

The second half of India's home season is likely to begin in January 2023 after Rohit Sharma's side's tour of New Zealand for a short white-ball series in November 2022.

What do you make of BCCI's plans surrounding a Women's IPL? Let us know what you think.