Wikipedia - Women's T20 Challenge

The Women's T20 Challenge was an Indian women's cricket Twenty20 tournament that was held between 2018 and 2022. The tournament featured three teams, playing a round-robin group followed by a final. IPL Supernovas were the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with three title wins.

The tournament was replaced by a new franchise-based annual T20 tournament, the Women's Premier League, which began in 2023.

History

The idea for a women's version of the Indian Premier League was suggested after the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, where the India women's national cricket team finished second. The tournament was first introduced in 2018, as a single match held in Mumbai prior to one of the men's matches. The match featured teams named IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas. In 2019, the Women's T20 Challenge was expanded to a three team tournament instead of a one-off match, with a new team called IPL Velocity competing alongside the IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas, in a round-robin format with the top two teams progressing to the final. The 2020 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, alongside the rearranged men's IPL.

In November 2020, Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly suggested an expansion of the Women's T20 Challenge to 7 or 8 teams in 2022. There were suggestions of adding a fourth team for the 2021 season, but this was decided against due to the ongoing issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 event was postponed along with the men's IPL, with no indication of a date for the women's event being played. It was not held at the same time as the rearranged men's event, as the dates clashed with India women's tour of Australia. In March 2022, the BCCI announced plans to start a women's IPL by 2023, with five or six teams in the inaugural edition. The 2022 event took place in May 2022, to coincide with the playoffs of the men's IPL.

In March 2022, BCCI announced a new franchise-based annual T20 tournament starting in 2023 to replace the Women's T20 Challenge, which was later named the Women's Premier League.

The Women's T20 Challenge is an annual cricket tournament held in India, featuring some of the best female cricketers from around the world. The tournament is a showcase of women's cricket talent and provides a platform for players to compete at the highest level.

The Women's T20 Challenge features three teams, each representing different regions of India, competing in a series of T20 matches. The tournament is played in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final to compete for the championship title.

The Women's T20 Challenge has gained popularity in recent years, with fans flocking to stadiums and tuning in to watch the matches on television and online streaming platforms. The tournament has helped raise the profile of women's cricket in India and has provided a platform for female cricketers to showcase their skills and talent on a national stage.

Overall, the Women's T20 Challenge is a thrilling and competitive cricket tournament that celebrates the talent and athleticism of female cricketers and helps promote gender equality in the sport.