"We were feeling sad as we were not being trusted": Harmanpreet Kaur on WPL's long wait

VMPL
New Delhi [India], April 14: For years, the challenge for Indian women's cricket wasn't a lack of talent, but the absence of a strong pathway between domestic and international cricket. Reflecting on this gap, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur shared, "There was a very big gap between the domestic cricket and international cricket standards," a gap that made it difficult for players to transition seamlessly. She further highlighted in the iQOO Quest Talk podcast the impact of this disconnect, adding, "Before WPL it was not easy for a domestic player to adapt and settle quickly in the international circuit because of the lack of experience of big stage matches."
Despite the evident need, the Women's Premier League (WPL) took time to materialize. In a recent episode of the iQOO Quest Talk podcast, Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, spoke with Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, about the uncertainty and disappointment surrounding the delay of the Women's Premier League (WPL). "The WPL conversation was going on for a long time, but for some reason things were not moving forward, and that time we were feeling sad about why they are not trusting us," she said. She also pointed to the core concern that delayed its rollout, noting that "the management was concerned of the low bench strength and if they could make teams based on the number of players we have," underlining the long-standing hesitation around depth in Indian women's cricket.
That perception began to shift with the arrival of the WPL in 2023. Drawing parallels with the IPL's impact on men's cricket, Harmanpreet emphasized how the league unlocked a deeper talent pool. "We saw a lot of talent coming up through IPL, so we always thought once WPL starts we will also get a lot of talented Indian players which will help in making the bench strength strong," she shared.
More importantly, the WPL has transformed the mindset and professionalism of emerging players, an impact now visible on the biggest stage. "The Indian players coming from WPL have a totally different mindset, with well-planned routines that make them great professionals," said Harmanpreet Kaur.
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