Lalit Modi Predicts Billion-Dollar Future for Women's Cricket

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, forecasts a bright future for women's cricket, predicting that franchises could achieve billion-dollar valuations within 15 years. He attributes this growth to the Women's Premier League and compares its current status to the men's IPL two decades ago. Modi also reflects on his role in integrating women's cricket into the BCCI and warns about the financial challenges facing international cricket, emphasizing the need for innovative formats to sustain the sport globally. His insights highlight the potential for women's cricket to become a leading global sporting property.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 4, 2026, 09:56 IST

Billion-Dollar Forecast for Women's Cricket

Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has made an ambitious prediction regarding women's cricket, suggesting that individual franchises could reach billion-dollar valuations within the next 15 years. In a conversation with a news agency, the 62-year-old sports executive noted that the rapid growth of women's cricket, significantly driven by the Women's Premier League (WPL), positions the sport to potentially surpass many major men's leagues worldwide, ultimately ranking just below the men's IPL.

"The growth trajectory is remarkable. Indian cricket is set to improve further, and women's cricket is drawing large crowds," he stated.

Modi compared the current state of women's cricket to the men's IPL two decades ago, highlighting that Mr. Adani invested ₹1,600 crore in a women's team (Gujarat Giants). In contrast, the inaugural season of the men's IPL saw the Mumbai Indians valued at around $100 million or ₹400 crore. Thus, women's cricket achieved a valuation of ₹1,600 crore right from its debut.

While he acknowledged that it may take time to reach the multi-billion dollar valuations seen in established men's franchises, Modi emphasized that the financial growth potential for women's cricket is much more immediate than it was for the men's league back in 2008.

He estimated that women's cricket could fully realize its viewership potential in approximately 15 to 20 years.

Modi's Role in Women's Cricket Development

The recent surge in the WPL's commercial success, along with Team India's historic victory in the women's Cricket World Cup on home soil, showcases the promising future of the Women's Premier League. Modi reminisced about his tenure as Vice President of the BCCI in 2006, during which he played a pivotal role in merging the independent Women's Cricket Association of India (WCAI) into the BCCI.

"I was instrumental in integrating women into the BCCI's constitution," Modi remarked. "We began to see progress during my tenure, with women participating in cricket. I initially thought it would take 10 to 12 years for the IPL ecosystem to support a women's league, but they have achieved it sooner than expected."

Warning on International Cricket's Future

While celebrating the financial stability of Indian cricket, Modi issued a cautionary note regarding the future of international cricket, which he believes is overly dependent on India. He reiterated his proposal to eliminate bilateral One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and replace them with franchise-based "IPL-style" Test matches to support struggling global cricket boards.

"Bilateral Test matches are at risk of extinction. One-Day matches should also be phased out. Test cricket is crucial, but it may not survive without the backing of club cricket due to a lack of global viewership. This could lead to significant losses," he warned. "Not everything in cricket needs to be profitable; we must also invest in the game. The BCCI operates as a non-profit, but other countries need to generate revenue. Without financial support, cricket in nations like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is in jeopardy. If India stops touring New Zealand or the West Indies, those countries will face dire consequences," he concluded.