Momentum builds for women's Tamil Nadu Premier League by early next year
The TNCA secretary, U Bhagwandas Rao, confirmed that the demand for a women's league has been long awaited. He said that though they had planned to launch one this year it did not materialise.
TNCA president T J Srinivasaraj
CHENNAI: Inspired by the Indian women’s cricket team’s recent win at the ICC World Cup, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is planning to launch a women’s edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) soon in 2026.
According to a report in The Times of India, TNCA president T J Srinivasaraj said that the proposal is under serious consideration with the initial plan being to begin with just four to six-team tournament before expanding it into a full-fledged league. He added that while a large pool of at least 500 good players is required for an auction, currently there is sufficient talent to start a league of a smaller scale.
The TNCA secretary, U Bhagwandas Rao, confirmed that the demand for a women's league has been long awaited. He said that though they had planned to launch one this year it did not materialise. However, he noted that women's cricket in the state has been on an upward trajectory over the past two years, and the recent world cup victory has generated a lot of public support for the sport.
Trying to ensure that the idea comes to life in 2026, he said that the association is seriously committed to promoting the women's game and they would launch the league even with just two teams.
The TNCA president Srinivasaraj said that while the state boasts around 150 clubs for men, there are barely any dedicated women's cricket clubs. The association hopes that the introduction of a league will act as a motivation to form clubs for women as well.
It may be noted that the TNCA fosters women's cricket through the 'Freyer Cup' in partnership with Freyer International Logistics.
