Royal Challengers Bangalore captain and India Women's National Team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has called for the Women's Premier League to follow Indian Premier League's multi-city format as part of its inevitable expansion
Smriti Madhana, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Women's Premier League, believes that the competition needs to follow in the footsteps of its male counterpart and host matches across the country. WPL, in its maiden edition, was held solely in Mumbai, with DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium sharing the hosting duties. (More Cricket News)
"It would be great to have WPL in the multi-city format," Mandhana said. "I think that might be the next step and I am sure the people right here would look into it and make it happen. As an RCB fan, I would love to play in Chinnaswamy where people are chanting ‘RCB RCB’ and just to be in that environment. That is something which is one step ahead for us that it (multi-city format) can reach to places where women's cricket hasn't reached and to get new audience going into women's cricket."
Mandhana, who also deputizes for Harmanpreet Kaur for the India Women's National Team, led RCB to a fourth-placed finish in WPL's debut season. Her side won two of their eight matches and finished ahead of Gujarat Giants due to a better net run rate.
Harmanpreet's Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, won the contest in its first year, thus becoming the first franchise to have laid claim to both the men's and women's premier league titles. Mumbai beat regular-season table-toppers Delhi Capitals in the DY Patil-held final much to the delight of a strong home crowd.