Shreyanka Patil hails Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 as big boost for women’s cricket

BENGALURU: Indian cricketer Shreyanka Patil on Monday praised the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s initiative of launching the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament, calling the trophy unveiling a special moment.

She also said that bringing a franchise-style event like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) to the domestic level is a significant step and something to be grateful for.

The five franchises of Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament are Bengaluru Blasters, Hubli Tigers, Mangaluru Dragons, Mysore Warriors, and Shivamogga Lioness. The tournament is scheduled to begin on August 4 at the Alur Grounds. The final will be played on August 10th at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On the launch and trophy unveiling of the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament, Indian cricketer Shreyanka Patil says, “It’s a great initiative by the KSCA to do this trophy unveiling. It’s a special one because we’ve seen that in the IPL and WPL,… pic.twitter.com/Xd2rapbUeJ

— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2026

“It’s a great initiative by the KSCA to do this trophy unveiling. It’s a special one because we’ve seen that in the IPL and WPL, and to see it at the domestic level is something to be very grateful for,” Patil said.

KSCA Chairman and former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad highlighted the importance of the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament in creating more opportunities for women cricketers. He said initiatives like these, along with matches under lights at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, will encourage young talent.

“We have already got a lot of young women cricketers playing on the world stage, like in the WPL or the Indian team, and one of them we have here is Shreyanka Patil. So with this sort of initiative and the opportunity that we are creating for women cricketers, we will have many more Shreyanka Patils, that’s what I said in my speech. Also, allowing them to play under lights at an iconic venue like the Chinnaswamy Stadium is in itself solid encouragement for them, and we have seen a lot of talent,” Prasad said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: On the launch and trophy unveiling of the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament, KSCA Chairman and former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad says, “We have already got a lot of young women cricketers playing on the world stage, like in the WPL or the… pic.twitter.com/n1ShGBma3A

— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2026

Former Indian cricketer Diana Edulji hailed the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 tournament for providing women cricketers the opportunity to play under floodlights, calling it a valuable experience that will help them gain confidence and become better prepared for international-level cricket.

“They are going to play under floodlights, which is a very good thing, because that’s what the Indian players require, to be used to playing under floodlights,” Edulji said. (ANI)