The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has quickly become one of the most important leagues in women’s cricket. Since its inaugural season in 2023, the tournament has brought together big international players,
created opportunities for young Indian players and given the women’s game a bigger commercial platform.
With four seasons completed by February 2026, the league has already produced memorable finals, individual records and breakthrough performances. The impact can be measured not only through trophies and stats, but also through the opportunities it has created for players who previously had limited exposure at the highest level.
WPL in numbers after four seasons
The scale of the competition has grown through four editions, with five franchises competing in each season.
Matches played – 88
Seasons completed- 4
Franchises- 5
Titles each for MI and RCB- 2
Mumbai Indians and RCB set the standard
Mumbai Indians won the inaugural title in 2023, defeating Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden championship in 2024, beating Delhi by eight wickets, before Mumbai returned to the top in 2025 with an eight-run victory over the same opponents.
RCB – THE CHAMPIONS OF WPL 💥 https://t.co/B9rZZR1uMu
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 5, 2026
RCB won their second title in 2026, defeating Delhi Capitals by six wickets in the final. Mumbai Indians and RCB have two championships each making them the most successful franchises, while Delhi Capitals have reached the final in all four editions without winning the trophy.
The WPL Has Created Breakthrough Stars
One of the league’s biggest contributions has been its ability to bring domestic talent into the spotlight. Saika Ishaque emerged as a key performer for Mumbai Indians in 2023, claiming 15 wickets in 10 matches. Her performances helped Mumbai win the inaugural title and earned her an opportunity to represent India later that year.
Shreyanka Patil followed a similar path with RCB. After impressing in the inaugural season, she claimed 13 wickets in eight matches in 2024, winning the Purple Cap and the Emerging Player award. Asha Sobhana also made headlines that season, becoming the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in the WPL with figures of 5/22 against UP Warriorz. These performances shows how the league can reward players who have spent years working their way through domestic cricket.
Records that reflect the WPL’s Growth
Individual records show the quality of cricket produced across the four seasons. England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt leads the all-time run charts with 1,348 runs, while New Zealand spinner Amelia Kerr tops the wicket-taking list with 54 wickets.
The 2026 season also produced a standout campaign from Smriti Mandhana, who scored 377 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.86 and a strike rate of 153.25. Her performances helped RCB complete another title-winning season.
The league has established a strong foundation in just four seasons and is already one of the best franchise leagues in Women’s cricket along with WBBL. The next challenge would be to increase the pool of players and look to expand the league with more franchises coming in.
