BCCI may announce the first women IPL match soon, here are the details about the first match

Women cricket has been gaining popularity in India in the recent times. The women's game has garnered the following since the Indian national team entered into the finals of the ICC world cup last year. The interesting news is however that the foundation stone for the women's IPL has been said as BCCI announced the two squads for the exhibition match for the women's T20 challenge.

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur have been named the captains of the two teams. The teams will feature 4 foreigners just like the men's IPL.

With an eye on the growing popularity in the country, the women's cricket is gaining ground and this wave may soon pave way for the women IPL.

“Even as IPL continues to roll like a well-oiled machine, over the last couple of weeks, efforts were made to put in place a similar structure for women cricketers.” IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla has said.

"We were in talks with several Boards and I am pleased with the outcome. New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates, attacking batter Sophie Devine, who holds the record for fastest half-century in women's T20Is, Australia's all-rounder Ellyse Perry, wicket-keeper bat Alyssa Healy, Megan Schutt and Beth Mooney have confirmed their participation.” Said Shukla.

"The IPL is the biggest and most popular league in the world and it has been a long-time endeavour to have a women's league that can match the exuberance of IPL. Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Veda Krishanmurthy among others rubbing shoulders with foreign stars will be a unique experience and something that we have not witnessed here in India."

The T20 match will begin at 1400 hrs IST and will be followed by IPL 2018 Qualifiers.

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