'Aim is to create year-round opportunities for women's cricketers,' says Rohan Jaitley as DDCA'S T20 league returns
New Delhi, June 5
Delhi & District Cricket Association president Rohan Jaitley said the governing body aims to create year-round opportunities for women cricketers as the second edition of the DDCA Women's T20 League was officially inaugurated at Modern School, Barakhamba Road, on Friday.
The tournament, one of the largest women's club cricket competitions in the national capital, has expanded significantly in its second season, growing from 42 teams in its inaugural edition to 60 teams this year. More than 700 players are set to participate across multiple venues in Delhi.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Jaitley highlighted the rapid growth of the competition and reiterated DDCA's commitment to strengthening the women's cricket ecosystem in the city.
"The response to the Women's T20 League over the last year has been extremely encouraging. We started this tournament to give young girls more opportunities to play competitive cricket, and it is great to see it grow from 42 teams to 60 teams in just its second edition," Jaitley said.
"Our aim is to create year-round opportunities for women cricketers, strengthen the pathway from club cricket to higher levels and ensure that talented players get the platform they deserve. I wish all the participating teams and players the very best for the tournament," he added.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by members of the DDCA Apex Council, League Committee officials, club representatives and participating players.
DDCA vice president Shikha Kumar welcomed the increasing participation in the tournament and said the competition reflects the growing popularity of women's cricket in Delhi.
"It is wonderful to see so many girls taking part in the competition this year. More than 700 players will feature in this edition and that itself shows how much women's cricket is growing in Delhi. The platform is there for these players to showcase their talent and make a mark," Kumar said.
DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma credited the city's clubs for playing a key role in the expansion of the competition.
"The clubs of Delhi have always been the backbone of our cricket structure and their support has been vital in making this tournament bigger and stronger. The growth in participation this year is very encouraging," Sharma said.
The matches will be played at Modern School (Grounds 1 and 2) at Barakhamba Road, Shivaji College in Rajouri Garden, Guru Gobind Singh College in Pitampura and Modern School Ground in Mohan Garden, Uttam Nagar.
The 2026 edition features 60 teams divided into 10 groups, with the tournament set to run over the coming weeks.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but question is: are these clubs just for show or actually grooming talent? We've seen many such leagues fizzle out. I hope DDCA has a proper scouting plan to take these 700+ players to higher levels. Otherwise it's just another photo op.
🏏 Massive respect to Rohan Jaitley and the DDCA team. This is exactly what Indian cricket needs at grassroots level. 700+ players across 5 venues? That's proper infrastructure planning! Hope other associations take notes. We want a women's IPL one day!
😊 As someone who played college cricket, I wish this existed when I was younger! But happy to see so many young girls getting this platform. Just hope the matches are telecast or streamed so that talent gets noticed beyond Delhi.
👌 Great to see the growth but let's also think about the smaller clubs from less privileged areas. Are we making sure entries are affordable? Talent in Delhi isn't just in elite schools. Real cricket happens in the bylanes. Hope DDCA is proactive.
This is massive! 60 teams - probably the biggest women's club cricket tournament in India right now. Also good to see grounds in Rajouri Garden and Pitampura being used - makes it accessible to players from across Delhi. Hope the umpiring and facilities match the ambition.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.