BCCI finally takes full control of India women's cricket

The BCCI has finally taken control of Indian women's cricket in India following months of demands from the women's body to merge the governing bodies.

The move was only a matter of a time, however, as it was part of the directives resulting from last year's merger of the ICC with the IWCC. With the ICC now in charge of women's cricket, it has directed that all of the country associations must develop their women's wing.

The move is great news for the game, given that the BCCI is the richest board of all the countries, and it should mean that the players will play at better grounds, with improved transport and funding.

"It is a dream come true," Diana Eduljee, the former India women's captain told the New Kerala website. "When we started playing, we would always wonder why men cricketers are getting so much with such lovely grounds to play on. Women's cricket will see good days, as players will benefit a lot."

The BCCI has wasted no time in undertaking its new responsibilities. It had already started to help with funding the international set-up and now it has announced a shake-up of selection methods for the top flight, with the introduction of a 50-overs zonal competition on a league basis, which is similar to the Ranji Trophy.

Hopefully this tournament will attract larger crowds than the men's domestic competition does: only a hundred attended the final in April, despite entry being free.