What makes WPL different from IPL?
While the WPL follows the IPL model, here are 10 key differences between these two Indian cricket leagues
1. Number of Teams
Indian Premier League (IPL) began with 8 teams in 2008 and expanded to 10 teams in 2022.
Women’s Premier League (WPL) started with 5 teams and is yet to expand.
2. Squad Size & Composition
IPL teams can have up to 25 players, with a maximum of 8 overseas players in the squad.
WPL teams have a smaller squad size, with a maximum of 18 players, including up to 6 overseas players.
3. Playing XI Rules
In IPL, a team can field a maximum of 4 overseas players in the playing XI.
In WPL, a team can field 4 overseas players, with an additional slot available for a player from an Associate Nation (such as UAE, USA, or Scotland).
4. Tournament duration and location
IPL runs for nearly two months (from March 22 to May 25 in 2025) and follows a home-and-away format across multiple cities. A total of 72 matches will be played in the 2025 season, with the number possibly increasing in future editions.
WPL is a shorter tournament, lasting around a month (from February 14 to March 15 in 2025). It was initially held in a single city (Bengaluru), expanded to two cities (Bengaluru and Delhi) in 2024, and further extended to four cities—Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai—in 2025. The 2025 WPL season will feature 22 matches.