The women’s IPL is a chance to dream big

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Editor's note: Opportunity knocks. Come to think of it, opportunity has worn its knuckles out knocking on the door of the Board of Control for Cricket in India since 2017. The difference is that in the year just begun, opportunity has returned with a battering ram—with “Women’s IPL” inscribed on its side in big bold letters. Prima facie, this might sound like a hyperbolic statement, an attempt to make too much of yet another tamasha-in-pajamas. But consider: In September, the International Cricket Council signed a four-year broadcast partnership—for 2024-2027—with Disney-Star. For an as yet officially undisclosed sum, the media group earns the right to broadcast the women’s limited overs World Cups, as also the T20 World Cups, to be played during this period.In October, BCCI secretary Jay Shah was “pleased to announce” pay parity and the levelling-up of the per-match fee for both men and women. As with most things to do with the BCCI, the announcement comes with hidden tripwires, but those have been discussed elsewhere as, for instance, in this piece by Sharda Ugra. The key point for the purpose …