Three Women’s Premier League (WPL) matches scheduled between January 14 and 16 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, are likely to be played behind closed doors, not postponed, due to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election process, according to information accessed by Cricbuzz.
The key reason for this late development is security-related. With polling scheduled for January 15, the local police force will be deployed for election duties across Navi Mumbai. Additional personnel have reportedly been requisitioned from other parts of Maharashtra, making it difficult to ensure adequate security for large public gatherings at the stadium during this period.
While the WPL or the BCCI is yet to make an official announcement, tickets for these three fixtures have not been listed by the official ticketing partner, strongly indicating that spectators will not be allowed.
Matches affected
The three matches expected to be held without crowds are:
- January 14: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
- January 15: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz
- January 16: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Notably, the election date was announced on December 15, more than two weeks after the WPL schedule had already been released.
No postponement expected
At this stage, there is no indication that the matches will be postponed. Instead, the league is expected to proceed as scheduled, with crowd restrictions limited to these three days.
Fans are expected to return on January 17, when Navi Mumbai hosts its second double-header of the season. After that, the tournament will shift to Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Kotambi, which will stage the remaining league matches, playoffs, and the final from January 19 to February 5.
An official confirmation from the league is awaited, but for now, the matches look set to go ahead—just without spectators in the stands.