WPL 2023 will be underway this year, as the five participating teams have confirmed. While three of them are owned by existing IPL franchises, a couple will be held by new owners as we look at them.
The Women's Premier League (WPL) looks to happen this year, as the five teams and their owners were confirmed on Wednesday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sold the five teams for ₹4669.99 crore. Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bangalore (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) made successful bids of ₹912.99 crore, ₹901 crore and ₹810 crore, respectively, to enter the tournament. However, it was Adani Sportsline that shelled out a massive ₹1,289 crore for the Ahmedabad side, which is the most expensive franchise, alongside Capri Global Holdings, which owned the Lucknow franchise for ₹757 crore. Let us take a look at the two new owners in the WPL.
Adani Sportsline
The name indicates that the wealthiest Indian business tycoon, Gautam Adani, the founder and owner of the Adani Group, owns it. It is an Ahmedabad-based coalition that has been working hard on laying its hands on an IPL side and even bid for the two latest franchises in the IPL a couple of years back.
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Having owned the Ahmedabad franchise in the WPL, which would be based at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium, the name of the team would be Gujarat Giants (GG). The franchise already owns a couple of cricket sides: Gulf Giants (ILT20) and Gujarat Giants (LLC). Besides, it also owns sides in kabaddi, boxing and kho-kho, all under the same team name.
"The Indian women's cricket team has been doing exceptionally well - and a cricket league for women is a significant step in creating more opportunities for women through sports. Cricket is an inseparable part of the country's fabric, and Adani Sportsline was keen to begin their association with the sport with the inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League," Adani Enterprises director Pranav Adani said in a statement on Wednesday.
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Capri Global
Not a familiar name in Indian sport, but it has managed to enter the fray, as it has owned the Lucknow team that would be based at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. It is an India-based NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) which would hold the cheapest WPL franchise. Just like Adani, it too owns sides in cricket and kho-kho: Sharjah Warriors (ILT20) and Rajasthan Warriors (UKK), while it is also one of the minor sponsors to kabaddi team Bengal Warriors (PKL).
The company is worth ₹5,400 crore and has its listing on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). It also attempted to own the two new IPL franchises but remained unsuccessful. "Capri Global's association with WPL has been strategic in achieving our vision of encouraging sports across all strata and genders and establishing a deeper connection with our stakeholders and customers. We believe cricket is the most natural route to further that vision given its history in India," CG's managing director Rajesh Sharma said in a release.