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| Women's T20 Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Name | Women's T20 Challenge |
| Administrator | Board of Control for Cricket in India |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 cricket |
| First | 2018 |
| Last | 2020 |
| Tournament format | Round-robin tournament and knockout tournament |
| Participants | 3 (varied franchise and exhibition teams) |
| Most successful | Trailblazers (1 title), Supernovas (2 titles) |
Women's T20 Challenge
The Women's T20 Challenge was a short-format cricket tournament organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India featuring elite domestic and international players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Suzie Bates. Launched as a showcase ahead of the Indian Premier League playoffs, the competition aimed to promote women's cricket in India by staging matches at venues like Wankhede Stadium, MCA Stadium, and Arun Jaitley Stadium. The event involved franchises including Supernovas (women's cricket team), Trailblazers (women's cricket team), and Velocity (women's cricket team), and attracted international stars from Australia women's national cricket team, England women's cricket team, New Zealand women's national cricket team, and West Indies women's cricket team.
The tournament traces roots to invitational exhibition matches involving players from India women's national cricket team, Australia women's national cricket team, England women's cricket team, South Africa women's national cricket team, Pakistan women's national cricket team, and Bangladesh women's national cricket team during the early 2010s, alongside initiatives such as the Women's Big Bash League and the Kia Super League. In 2018 the Board of Control for Cricket in India formalised the event as a three-team competition featuring marquee players like Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, Charlotte Edwards, Meg Lanning, and Stafanie Taylor. The 2019 and 2020 editions expanded player pools and media coverage, with broadcasters like Star Sports and platforms such as Hotstar elevating visibility. Political and administrative discussions involving the International Cricket Council and domestic stakeholders influenced scheduling, while parallel developments in tournaments like the The Hundred and the Women's Caribbean Premier League underscored a growing global ecosystem.
Matches adhered to Twenty20 cricket playing conditions under umpires accredited by the International Cricket Council and used rules similar to the Indian Premier League including fielding restrictions and powerplay overs. The format featured a single round-robin tournament stage followed by a knockout tournament final between the top two teams determined by net run rate and points, with matches played at established venues such as Eden Gardens and Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Player selection employed drafts and direct nominations influenced by coaches like Veda Krishnamurthy's contemporaries and captains including Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Match officials included umpires and match referees from panels associated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the International Cricket Council.
Franchise sides included Supernovas (women's cricket team), Trailblazers (women's cricket team), and Velocity (women's cricket team), with squads blending international stars from Australia women's national cricket team, England women's cricket team, New Zealand women's national cricket team, South Africa women's cricket team, West Indies women's cricket team, and leading Indian players from domestic teams like Railways women's cricket team and Madhya Pradesh women's cricket team. Squads featured captains and marquee players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Dane van Niekerk, Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, Sophie Devine, and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Support staff drew on coaches with profiles from England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia pathways, while fitness trainers and analysts often had credentials from institutions like the National Cricket Academy.
The inaugural 2018 edition crowned Supernovas (women's cricket team) after a final featuring players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Meg Lanning, Anya Shrubsole, and Marizanne Kapp. The 2019 season saw competitive matches with standout performances by Deepti Sharma, Mithali Raj, Stafanie Taylor, and Ellyse Perry, and the Supernovas (women's cricket team) again claimed the title. In 2020 Trailblazers (women's cricket team) won the final, with contributions from Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Shikha Pandey, and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Throughout seasons, players from franchise systems like Railways women's cricket team and international contingents from Australia women's national cricket team influenced outcomes, while broadcasters such as Star Sports expanded reach.
Batting leaders included high-impact innings by Smriti Mandhana, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Devine, Mithali Raj, and Suzie Bates, who topped tournament runs and strike rates in various editions. Bowling records featured wicket tallies and economy rates led by Shikha Pandey, Anya Shrubsole, Marizanne Kapp, Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav, and Renuka Singh Thakur. Fielding highlights included catches and run-outs by players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Meg Lanning, Stafanie Taylor, and Dane van Niekerk. Tournament statistics were tracked relative to formats like the Women's Big Bash League and international Twenty20 International metrics, informing selection for ICC Women's T20 World Cup squads.
The competition catalysed greater investment in women's cricket infrastructure in India and contributed to debates around launching a full-fledged franchise league akin to the Indian Premier League, involving stakeholders such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India, International Cricket Council, broadcasters like Star Sports, and sponsors from corporate sectors. It provided a platform for crossover between domestic institutions like Railways women's cricket team and international systems such as Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board, accelerating player development pathways exemplified by Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Meg Lanning. The tournament's model influenced proposals for leagues such as the Women's Premier League and inspired organizers of the Women's Caribbean Premier League and The Hundred to prioritise women's fixtures, shaping selection policies for the India women's national cricket team and the global calendar governed by the International Cricket Council.
Category:Women's cricket competitions in India