DDCA Women’s T20 League expands: 60 teams, 700 players
The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Friday launched the second edition of its Women’s T20 League, and the expanded version will see participation from 60 teams and over 700 players. The inaugural season of the league in 2025 had 42 teams in it, and the addition of 18 new teams underlines the growth of women’s club cricket in the national capital.
The competition, inaugurated by DDCA President Rohan Jaitley, will feature 10 groups of six teams each, including established clubs such as Delhi Gymkhana CC, Hind CC, Young Friends CC, Delhi Blues CC and City Gymkhana.
"Last year, we started the league as an initiative in which 42 clubs participated. This year, the number has increased to around 60 clubs and more than 700 players," Jaitley told PTI Videos.
"The intent is to give players an off-season platform that combines competition, performance review and complete training. As the league grows with time, performance and development will continue to multiply," he added.
The matches will be played across five venues in the city: Modern School (Grounds 1 and 2) in Barakhamba Road, Shivaji College in Rajouri Garden, Guru Gobind Singh College in Pitampura and Modern School Ground in Mohan Garden, Uttam Nagar.
The DDCA vice-president, Shikha Kumar, attributed the increase in participation this year to growing opportunities in women’s cricket and the heightened interest following India’s recent success on the global stage.
"There is year-on-year growth. Going from around 42 teams to 60 teams is a significant achievement for DDCA and for young girls playing cricket," Kumar said.
"Parents are increasingly realising the opportunities available in women’s cricket. The response from clubs has been very encouraging."
Kumar also said DDCA intends to expand support structures for women cricketers through additional training camps and enhanced physical and mental well-being programmes.
The DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma said the league has become an important talent identification platform for the Delhi Premier League (DPL) and future representative teams. "Last year we had 42 teams and this year we have 60. The league is helping us create a larger database of players, making it easier for franchises and selectors to identify talent," Sharma said.
Sharma revealed that DDCA plans to restructure the women’s competition into a divisional format from the 2026-27 season, with teams classified into multiple divisions based on performance.
Sharma also announced that women’s teams would receive prize money and facilities on par with men’s teams.
"Our president has announced that women’s teams will receive the same cash rewards as men’s teams. They will also receive the same facilities," Sharma said.
"Our aim is to ensure the women’s league continues to grow in Delhi and helps players progress to higher levels, including representing the state and the country," he added.
