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When the Women's Premier League kicked off in 2023, it felt like a long-awaited moment for women's cricket in India.
The response? It was instant. Across its first 14 matches, the inaugural season pulled in around 50 million viewers on TV and digital.
In its earlier years, brand interest was curious but cautious. Sponsors came in to see if women's cricket could truly deliver attention.
That first season saw over 50 brands associate with the league. Over the next two years, that hesitation slowly disappeared. By 2025, the WPL had more than 70 advertisers spanning 45 categories. Alongside traditional cricket advertisers came beauty, fashion, jewellery and fintech brands, categories that were rarely seen in men's cricket. Names like Kay Beauty, LoveChild and Tanishq entered the WPL ecosystem.
Even in 2026, there are over 70 advertisers across broadcast this season, spanning BFSI, fintech, new-age tech, beauty and lifestyle, automotive and EV, as well as FMCG and beverages.
Brands such as Amul, L'Oréal Professionnel, BKT Tyres, EaseMyTrip, Joy Skincare, Skechers, De Beers Group and DHL have now joined the long-time sponsors, while official broadcaster JioStar has onboarded 15 sponsors for the season.
But something has shifted in 2026. The league is no longer just a place to put logos on jerseys and boundary boards. Brands are treating it as something beyond logos. They are leveraging the platform to tell stories that connect with how female athletes actually change the narrative for women in sports, and aim to encourage girls to join the conventionally male-dominated field.
They are leveraging women's cricket as starting points for conversations about things that matter to their audiences.
They are connecting the league to larger cultural shifts.
Tata Capital's ‘Champions Ki Gulliyonmein’ campaign took the story away from stadiums and into the streets, where girls play cricket in spaces that have traditionally been dominated by boys. The title partner’s film showed young girls reclaiming those spaces, linking financial empowerment with sporting ambition.
Whisper, the sanitary napkin brand from Procter & Gamble, partnered with cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues for a campaign that addressed menstrual hygiene and athletic performance. The brand's message was direct: "This is my official goodbye to pads. Because I need to focus on the game, even on my period."
Joy Personal Care took a different route with its ‘Behenhood’ campaign for UP Warriorz. Instead of borrowing the language of ‘brotherhood’ common in men's sports, the brand created film around the idea of women supporting women. The campaign featured UP Warriorz players Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol and Phoebe Litchfield, along with influencer Meethika Dwivedi, in scenes that captured humour, vulnerability, and team dynamics.
Food delivery platforms have also found space in the WPL narrative. Zomato's campaign with Smriti Mandhana didn't talk about discounts or delivery speed. Instead, it linked healthy eating to the kind of discipline athletes need to perform consistently.
The film draws a parallel between Mandhana's journey, from winning World Cups and reaching new milestones to navigating personal challenges, and the everyday choices we all face.
DHL took a different approach. The brand created what it called an ‘honest ad’ that called out clichés in women's sports advertising, slow-motion shots, athletes who never smile, and an overly serious tone.
DHL
Some brands are investing in structures that go beyond single campaigns.
Himalaya's ‘1der woman Project’ entered its second season in 2026, connecting over girls across schools in India with women athletes as role models.
The campaign includes mentorship, skill-building content, and a digital academy where girls can learn from champions and share their own journeys.
The campaign was launched with the ad film titled 'Remember her face'.
Star Sports ran montages of earlier WPL matches with voiceovers from players talking about what the game means, not just the wins, but the emotions, the tears, the daring, the care, the passion. The messaging was clear: this is a game that holds more than just sport.
Jewellery brands entered the space with campaigns that moved past traditional ideas of ornamentation. Kalyan Jewellers, as Official Style Partner of RCB Women, created content featuring Smriti Mandhana, Shreyanka Patil and Lauren Bell that positioned jewellery as an extension of confidence and identity.
What's different
The shift is most visible in format. Brands are producing short-form videos, athlete-led content, and digital-first campaigns that circulate on social media rather than relying solely on television spots and stadium signage. Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water reimagined its ‘O la la la leo’ jingle for the WPL season, mixing nostalgia with the energy of the league.
What ties these campaigns together is the aim to move away from treating the WPL as just another media property. The league is being used as a starting point for narratives about confidence, ambition, everyday challenges, and cultural change.
The athletes are not just endorsers; they are characters in stories about discipline, teamwork, and breaking norms.
The numbers suggest the approach is working. Spending has tripled. Advertiser categories have expanded. And the campaigns are aiming to generate engagement that goes beyond passive viewership.
The league has become a place where brands can say things they might not be able to say elsewhere, and where audiences seem to be willing to listen.
Storytelling is traveling farther than symbols. Logo placements still offer reach, but it's the reels, films, and culturally grounded narratives might drive deeper engagement. The shift from visibility to meaning is what separates WPL 2026 from where the league started three years ago.