The much-awaited inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be played from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai. The Brabourne Stadium and the DY Patil Stadium will host all the matches with the tournament opener expected to be played between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians-owned franchise.

“The Women’s Premier League will be played from March 4 to 26 in Mumbai,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told PTI on Monday.

Dhumal also confirmed that the auction will take place on February 13 in Mumbai, a day after India’s T20 World Cup match against Pakistan.

With the five teams fetching Rs 4669.99 crore and the BCCI selling the media rights for Rs 951 crore, the WPL is the second biggest T20 League in the world behind the Indian Premier League.

Apart from three IPL team owners — Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals — Capri Global Holdings (Lucknow) and the Adani Sportsline have bought the five franchises.

Around 1500 players have registered for the league and the final list is expected to be released later this week.

Each team will have a purse of Rs 12 crore at the players’ auction next month and will need to buy a minimum of 15 players and maximum of 18. Up to five overseas players, including one from associate member country, will be allowed in the playing eleven.

A total of 22 games will be played in the inaugural season with the top-ranked team in the league stage qualifying directly for the final. The second and third placed teams will battle out for a place in the title clash.