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Gavaskar feels is the right time to have women's IPL

Gavaskar feels is the right time to have womens IPL
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PTI

Published: 9 March 2020 10:27 AM GMT

The legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels that time is appropriate to set the ball rolling for a full-fledged Women's Indian Premier League to unearth more talented players after the national team was outplayed in the T20 World Cup final by defending champions Australia.

First-time finalists India were beaten by 85 runs but the unbeaten run before that is an indicator that things are moving in the right direction, said Gavaskar. "To Sourav Ganguly and the BCCI, I would like to say, maybe next year, look at having a women's IPL because that will unearth a lot more talent. There is already a lot of talent which we see and that will come to the fore with this performance of this Indian team throughout this tournament," he told 'India Today'.

Gavaskar said a WIPL should be on cards even if there's isn't enough Indian talent to have an eight-team IPL. "Even if there are not 8 teams, a women's IPL will make a lot of sense. There will be a lot more exposure for women. A lot more talent, which is there but we don't know at the moment will come to the fore. And then, as the years go by, Indian women's team will start winning a lot more trophies."

After an undefeated run, Indian squad lost in the finals by 85 runs. (Image: Twitter) After an undefeated run, Indian squad lost in the finals by 85 runs. (Image: Twitter)

The former India captain is happy with how the BCCI is managing women's cricket. "....they are already doing a lot and which is the reason why this Indian women's team has progressed so much. They went to Australia almost a month before the tournament started, and played a three-match T20I series (tri-series) against the Australians," he said.

"They did well over there. They were very well acclimated to the conditions and the pitches in Australia. So you have got to give credit to the BCCI for having done that," he added. Gavaskar cited the exmples of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, who gained from playing the women's Big Bash League.

"The Australian cricket board has backed the Australian women's team for a long, long time. The Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) has given plenty of opportunities to players, even our players," he said.

Also Read: Women’s T20 World Cup: Shantha says time for Harmanpreet to review captaincy

"The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet they have played in the WBBL. That is the tournament where you get to play against the best players and learn from that," Gavaskar reasoned. "That certainly has helped them to find many more players, just like the IPL has helped them to find many more players -- the Indian men's cricket team."

After the loss in the World Cup, teenage Indian batting sensation Shafali Verma on 9 March lost the top spot in the ICC women's T20 International rankings as she slipped to third after managing only two runs in the World Cup final against Australia in Melbourne.

The 16-year-old Shafali (744 points) had grabbed the top spot at the end of the league stage of the just-concluded women's T20 World Cup in Australia which the hosts won for an unprecedented fifth time. Australia opener Beth Mooney, who hit 78 not out in the final on 8 March, jumped two spots to number one with 762 points to her kitty.

Mooney scored 259 runs at an average of 64 in six innings, the highest aggregate by anyone at a single edition of the competition and was named Player of the Tournament. She has topped the rankings for the first time in her career.

Also Read: Women’s T20 World Cup 2020: 2003 all over again, India lose to Australia in final

New Zealand's Suzie Bates (750 points) remained in second position in the list that also features the Indian duo of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in the top ten. While the India vice-captain Mandhana, who had a forgetful tournament, moved down a spot to be ranked seventh, Rodrigues remained static on ninth. Mooney's opening partner Alyssa Healy has risen two slots to fifth position after a blistering 39-ball 75 in the final against India while South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt has advanced 13 slots to reach a career-best 31st place after a valiant 27-ball 41 in their semifinal against Australia.

India's Deepti Sharma advanced 10 slots to reach 43rd position among batters and is among the top five all-rounders for the first time. Deepti, Radha Yadav and Poonam Yadav occupied the sixth, seventh and eighth sports respectively in the bowlers ranking led by England's Sophie Ecclestone.

Australia's Megan Schutt and South African Shabnim Ismail occupy the second and third place respectively among bowlers. While Australia left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen reached a career-best 728 points and fifth place, her best position since a career-best fourth ranking in November 2017. Her team-mates Sophie Molineux and Delissa Kimmince have advanced 10 places each to reach joint-16th and 31st places respectively.

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