India, Jan. 24 -- One of the features of the men's Indian Premier League (IPL) in the past three seasons has been a rapid pick-up in the scoring rate. It was shaped by taking greater risks in the first six overs, when fielding restrictions were in place, and via shot-making that fetched four or six runs. Some similar patterns are on display in the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL), the women's equivalent of the city-franchise-based T20 cricket league. At roughly the halfway stage of the 2026 season, the average run rate this year is the highest across its four editions.

The WPL is a smaller version of the IPL. While the IPL has 10 teams, the WPL has five teams, resulting in fewer matches. While the 2025 IPL saw 74 matches being played...