WPL Winner Legacy: What the Women’s Premier League Has Already Taught Us About Cricket’s Future

There is an unmistakable buzz surrounding an emerging tournament that is still finding its voice. However, the Women’s Premier League or WPL did not walk in quietly. It arrived full force with sold-out stadiums and groundbreaking innings that revolutionized women’s cricket. And for those looking through the list of WPL winners from 2023 to 2025, you’re not just looking at title winners. You’re witnessing the evolution of a culture that takes root, season by season.  

The WPL, unlike other leagues, did not ‘tiptoe’ into relevance. It crashed onto the scene, garnering attention as little girls in India suddenly started dreaming of not just wearing the national kit, but stepping out into a stadium donning franchise colors to the roar of a crowd. The paradigm has now shifted, and winning isn’t just about securing a trophy. It is about forging a legacy in a format that is starving for superstars.

Table 1: WPL Winner List (2023-2025)

Year	WPL Winner	Runner-Up	Final Venue	Winning Margin
2023	Mumbai Indians Women	Delhi Capitals Women	Brabourne Stadium	7 wickets
2024	Delhi Capitals Women	Mumbai Indians Women	M. Chinnaswamy	5 wickets
2025	Mumbai Indians Women	UP Warriorz Women	DY Patil Stadium	11 runs

Examination of the league’s development reveals more substantial aspects about it. The competition between the Mumbai Indians and the Delhi Capitals goes beyond rivalry; they are shaping the narrative of WPL. The level of competitiveness in cricket is intense; so are the celebrations, and the belief that women’s T20 can be equally commercialized as the men’s is widespread. Does rivalry exist? Of course, it does. Delhi answered Mumbai’s 2023 win with a resurgence in 2024. And when Mumbai retaliated and captured the title in 2025? Oh, and that was not only another final. What a statement.

What It Takes To Be A WPL Winner  

More than selecting a matchday blog, the WPL requires clan composition, recruitment strategy, structure, defined roles for all members, and calm leadership. Forwards and recruiters must work together and strategize, and a clear division of labor needs to be established. It looked like Mumbai was the first (‘earliest’) team to figure this out. They looked more complete than anyone else, with Captain Harmanpreet Kaur at the helm and all-rounders like Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amelia Kerr backing her. They didn’t shatter after the loss in the 2024 final; they adapted and improved.  

Based around megastars Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, Delhi clinched victory differently. While that top order was performing, teams were decimated. Their danger in 2024 stemmed from bowlers too, especially the choke holds spun out by their spin unit in the middle overs. Both teams demonstrated that although WPL may have one champion, one exploder, and one all-rounder, they all have a backbone.

Table 2: Key Player Contributions in WPL Finals (2023-2025)

Year	Player of the Final	Team	Performance
2023	Nat Sciver-Brunt	Mumbai Indians Women	60* (41) & 1/20
2024	Jess Jonassen	Delhi Capitals Women	3/21 (4 overs)
2025	Harmanpreet Kaur	Mumbai Indians Women	49 (32) & 2 catches

These performances weren’t just statistical achievements. They were defining moments. Sciver-Brunt in 2023 gave Mumbai their first title with that kind of icy finishing only a few possess. Jonassen’s 2024 spell didn’t just win a match, it shifted a momentum wave that had been building toward Mumbai all season. And Harman? She brought calm in the 2025 final when nerves began to crackle.

The Emergence of New Icons

Above all contest-related celebrations, the WPL undertakes its most essential functions and is, in fact, shaping icons who will culturally represent the game. Players who previously received recognition only from local supporters are now global social media sensations. For example, because of her tenacious and heroic spell over the opposition, Saika Ishaque was no longer just a ‘promising spinner’ but a viral sensation and brand. Even if her team was losing, Kiran Navgire’s cult of attendance, due to her ‘never give up’ approach, ensured that her fearless hitting earned her cult status. Moreover, Shweta Sehrawat has emerged as one of the leading performers for UP Warriorz. She is arguably the first out of many next-gen match-winners.

This paradigm shift is the type of attention women’s cricket has desperately needed. Today, fans follow players and players become idols that shape culture, with following making it an identity to wear the apparel of their idol and proudly display their jersey with the name engraved on the back.

A League That Changed the Equation

Cricket in India has always been religion. The WPL made space at the altar. And it did it without apology. From equal-quality broadcast production to massive prize pools, everything about the WPL feels designed to level the field. The atmosphere is different, too. It’s younger. Louder. More inclusive.

And that’s what makes each WPL winner special. They’re not just winning matches. They’re winning moments. Every title lifts not just a trophy, but the ceiling of what young girls believe is possible. That ripple effect is going to outlast any single season.

Looking Ahead: Who Could Be Next?  

The opening of the league is marked by UP Warriorz making their first final appearance in 2025. RCB Women and Gujarat Giants have yet to crack a final, but both have stacked squads and growing fan bases. Expect 2026 to throw up new heroes, new heartbreaks, and maybe a new name on the WPL winner list.  

And that’s what the best leagues do: evolve. Surprising you long after the final ball is bowled.  

If you still think of WPL as an upstart tournament, it’s time to update your perspective. This league is too important, too emotional, and too competitive to be anything but essential. Each WPL winner from 2023 to 2025 has laid a stone on the foundation of something much bigger than a trophy cabinet. They’ve built belief.  

And in cricket, that’s the real win.