The BCCI has dropped a major hint that the WPL will be expanded soon |Courtesy - WPL/BCCI The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given the strongest hint so far that the Women's Premier League (WPL) will expand in the near future and see more franchises playing the tournament in future years. Since the inaugural edition in 2023, the tournament has been restricted to only five teams. BCCI secretary Deavjit Saikia admitted that five teams were too few and claimed the board will have to brainstorm ways to increase the number of teams playing the competition. He pointed out that the talent pool of women cricketers has increased, but the number of slots available was too low in the 2026 WPL Auction, which took place on Wednesday (September 28) at Kochi. "With nearly 150 players in the fray for just 27 spots, so many talented cricketers were left out. It is clear that the number of teams is small compared to the strong pipeline of women cricketers. Moving forward, we need to brainstorm ways to increase the number of teams and enhance key areas across the ecosystem—including coaches, selectors, and other stakeholders. The Women’s Premier League has had a transformative impact overall. This is a wonderful beginning to a great journey, and I am confident the WPL will grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years," said Saikia in an interaction with WPL's website and social media team. Talking about the auction, Saikia expressed delight at seeing 15-year-old Uma Kasvi getting a contract after a bid from Delhi Capitals (DC). She has become the youngest player in the league's history to be picked in the auction. "It is hugely encouraging to see a 15-year-old talent like uncapped all-rounder Uma Chetry get the opportunity to play in the WPL after being acquired by Delhi. Our goal is to bring as many young women as possible into this success story. WPL is already one of the biggest leagues in global cricket after the IPL. Over the last four years, we have come a long way—we are now world champions and dominating international women's cricket. The expansion driven by the WPL across the country has been instrumental in that success," said Saikia. Aayush Kataria is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Network with five years of experience, having started his career in the organisation. He is a key memb... View More