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The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will begin with Mumbai Indians facing Gujarat Giants in the tournament opener on Saturday, March 4. A total of five teams will compete in the league, and the play will go on till March 26, when any two teams will lock horns in the summit clash for the championship.
The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) have left no stone unturned in making the first-ever edition of the WPL a success and worked relentlessly with an aim to bring revolution in women’s cricket. Apart from the Indian board, the owners of the teams have also played a great part in making the tournament a hit by showing faith in women athletes and acquiring ownership of their respective teams.
Notably, in the team auction of WPL held in Mumbai, BCCI fetched a record sum of INR 4669.99 crore (USD 572.78 million approx). On that note, let’s have a look at the owners of all five teams.
Gujarat Giants – Gautam Adani
Adani Group’s chairman Gautam Adani owns Gujarat Giants. The Indian business tycoon bagged the Gujarat-based franchise for whopping INR 1289 crores. The team have recently announced Australia star Beth Mooney as their captain, while former India skipper Mithali Raj has been roped in as the side’s mentor.
Apart from Mooney, Gujarat Giants in the players’ auction also grabbed the services of players like Ashleigh Gardner, Sophie Dunkley, and Harleen Deol.
Mumbai Indians – Mukesh Ambani
The chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambai, owns the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise. He acquired the team for massive INR 912.99 crores. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will captain MI in the marquee WPL, while they also bought the likes of Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and many more in the players’ bidding.
Delhi Capitals – JSW & GMR Group
The Delhi Capitals was procured by JSW & GMR Group in partnership for INR 810 crores. The son of the chairman of GMR group, Kiran Kumar Grandhi, is often seen at team events of the franchise. Meanwhile, Parth Jindal, a scion of the JSW Group, is the current chairman of the franchise. Notably, JSW Steel entered into a partnership deal with GMR Group to become the co-owners of the DC in 2019.
Royal Challengers Bangalore – United Spirits
One of the most popular franchises, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), is owned by United Spirits, and Prathmesh Mishra is the team’s current manager. The team in the maiden edition of the league will be led by India maestro Smriti Mandhana, while legendary tennis player Sania Mirza will mentor the side. The team also purchased Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Erin Burns in the players’ auction for the WPL 2023.
Notably, United Spirits Limited grabbed the RCB-W team for whopping INR 901 crores in the team bidding.
UP Warriorz – Rajesh Sharma
UP Warriorz is owned by the Indian investment holding company Capri Global. They acquired the Uttar Pradesh based-franchise for INR 757 crores and have named Australia’s Alyssa Healy as the captain of their side. Meanwhile, Deepti Sharma has been appointed as the deputy of Healy.
Notably,Rajesh Sharma, owner of Capri Global, is also the managing director of the franchise.
