Former India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami has expressed that "franchise cricket is the future of women's cricket" and believes that T20 leagues should now take precedence over bilateral series. Goswami, who holds the record for the most wickets in women's ODIs, has been serving as the bowling coach and mentor for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Women's Premier League (WPL) for the past two years. She is also set to join the Trinbago Knight Riders coaching staff for the upcoming Women's Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
During an appearance on ESPNcricinfo's Powerplay podcast, Goswami discussed the challenges arising from calendar clashes in women's cricket. She noted that while such issues have long been present in men's cricket, they are now becoming a reality for women's cricket as well. Goswami welcomed this development, stating that the International Cricket Council (ICC) must recognise that franchise cricket is crucial for the global growth of women's cricket. She highlighted the need to prioritise franchise leagues to ensure the sport's continued expansion.
The debate over club versus country in women's cricket has intensified in recent years as T20 leagues have proliferated worldwide. Prominent Australian players like Meg Lanning, Ashleigh Gardner, and Tahlia McGrath withdrew from the women's Hundred last year to manage their workloads, which were already packed with the inaugural WPL season, the T20 World Cup, the multi-format Ashes, and the WBBL, along with other bilateral commitments. Similarly, India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana opted out of the WBBL for the second consecutive year in 2023 to focus on domestic cricket. A similar scheduling conflict arose when England's tour of New Zealand coincided with the final stages of the WPL in India earlier this year. Consequently, England captain Heather Knight chose the bilateral tour over playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while her teammate Lauren Bell also withdrew from the WPL. Recently, Chamari Athapaththu, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh missed the first week of the women's Hundred due to their participation in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
Goswami highlighted the significant impact franchise cricket has had on producing quality cricketers in recent years, citing leagues like the WBBL, the Hundred, the WCPL, and the WPL. She argued that franchise leagues should be given dedicated windows, with bilateral series scheduled around them. Goswami warned that if bilateral series and franchise leagues continue to clash, the sport risks losing out on top-tier talent, which could diminish the quality and success of T20 tournaments. She stressed that the limited pool of high-quality cricketers in women's cricket makes it essential to prioritise these franchise leagues to ensure the sport's growth.
Looking ahead, the 2024 calendar remains packed. Following the conclusion of the women's Hundred on August 18 at Lord's, the three-team WCPL will take place from August 22 to 30 in the Caribbean, featuring international players from India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, and Australia. This will be followed by the T20 World Cup in October, and just seven days after its conclusion, the WBBL will begin, running from October 27 to December 1. During this time, the home season will kick off for teams like Australia, Bangladesh, South Africa, India, and New Zealand, with international matches scheduled throughout December and January as per the FTP.