Effect of Women In Blue: ICC might have separate broadcast rights for women's cricket

The stupendous success of the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia has forced parent body ICC to explore options of separately inviting bidders for broadcast rights of the 2023-31 cycle.

With 1.1 billion video views, the World Cup in Australia was the most watched tournament in the history of women's cricket.

The ICC Board is confident that there could be an opportunity where potential bidders could look at the women's game separately for broadcast rights.

"It's being explored although no decisions have been taken. But there's potentially an opportunity there," a senior ICC board member told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The big numbers we saw for audiences for women's T20 means we must explore it. It has value," he added.

The Indian market in women's game is growing by the day and with the emergence of teen sensation Shafali Verma along with exciting players like Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodriguez, the ICC senses an opportunity.

"Exactly," the veteran official said adding, "1.1bn video views make it our second most successful event ever behind men's World Cup last summer."