In the last few weeks since India’s women cricketers thrilled fans at DY Patil Stadium, there have been murmurs about the possibility of India’s women cricketers returning to DY Patil Stadium, an area with a fan base that was so energized from the excitement of the Women’s World Cup final, in less than a month. The whispers indicate that both Mumbai and Baroda will be hosting WPL 2026 (potentially from January 7 to February 3). Since DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai has long been a favorite among Indian women cricketers, both due to its facilities and because of the electrifying crowd energy, when paired with the Kotambi Stadium in Baroda, where the finals are slated to take place, the WPL becomes not simply a league, but a traveling festival of elite-level cricket.
DY Patil: A Stage Built for Stars
The choice of DY Patil as the opening round is as much about sentimentality as it is about strategy. DY Patil has shown its ability to host games with an enormous amount of pressure on the teams competing, while also providing a positive but intense crowd for the players. Past data shows that the team batting at DY Patil has historically had a 15-20 percent increase in their strike rate from T20s compared to other venues. This could be due to how players respond to the environment at DY Patil. As the reigning champions (Mumbai Indians) return to the city where they lifted the trophy last season, they may receive a boost in morale in addition to the normal “home” advantage.
Baroda’s Kotambi: The Final Frontier
If DY Patil creates the opening, Kotambi will create the finale. The choice to host the second round of the tournament and the final for Kotambi has an advantage because it aligns with a logistical problem: A men’s ODI between India and New Zealand is scheduled for five days before Kotambi (January 11). The timing of the event indicates the BCCI is balancing player preparation, pitch restoration, and fan attendance. Finals held at non-metropolitan venues (Baroda, Dharamsala) have traditionally been scored at a slightly lower total, but have also provided a greater sense of urgency for teams to utilize strategic planning instead of raw power. Will there be a similar dynamic for the WPL 2026 finals? Anticipate that captains will place great emphasis on taking wickets and gaining momentum, rather than utilizing reckless slogging to score runs.
January Window: A Global Chess Move
The BCCI’s decision to move the Women’s Premier League (WPL) to January is about much more than simply adjusting the schedule on a calendar. It represents a forward-thinking strategy as well as an opportunity for the BCCI to signal their commitment that the WPL will be a global event that no international or national domestic T20 league can interfere with. The new date of January also provides an opportunity for the BCCI to work out the details of its own schedule with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Future Tours Program (FTP). This could provide the BCCI with the opportunity to secure top international talent to play in the WPL without having to deal with scheduling conflicts.
Mumbai Indians: Champions in Context
Having defended their title as champions, the Mumbai Indians will carry the weight of expectations equivalent to over 100 years’ worth of runs into WPL 2026. In WPL 2025, they defeated Delhi Capitals at Brabourne Stadium with great clinical effectiveness; returning to Mumbai, even if it is on a different pitch, provides a psychological advantage for the team; however, this advantage can also be a double-edged sword. A common historical occurrence in Indian Women’s T20 leagues has been that teams that were defending titles had a 40% greater chance of falling short in the first two weeks of competition, largely because the pursuit of repeat success creates an additional layer of distractions.
It could very well become clear during this season that women’s cricket in India is no longer simply playing on the same calendar as men’s, but creating its own high-impact path. When the final is played in Kotambi, we may not only witness a champion, but we may also witness a model for future competitions.
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