Everything you need to know ahead of the 2024 Women's Premier League, live in full on Aerial sports in February and March.

What is the Women's Premier League?

The women's equivalent of the beast that is the Indian Premier League. The WPL is about to begin its second season, with the inaugural edition taking place in March 2023.

While the IPL now has 10 teams, the WPL currently has five: Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants.

Mumbai will aim to defend their title over the coming weeks, with the 2023 winners kicking off the competition on Friday in a repeat of last year's final against the Capitals.

The Indians triumphed by seven wickets in the title match a year ago – England's Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 70 as his side reached their target of 132 with three balls to spare.

The 2024 final will take place on Sunday, March 17 as the 22-match season draws to a close at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

How can I watch the matches?

On Sky Sports, every match will be shown live. There is one match every day between February 23 and March 13 – starting at 2pm UK & Ireland time – as the teams play each other twice in a double-tournament format. Round.

The teams who finished second and third in the standings will then face each other in the playoff on March 15, with the winners of this facing the winners of the standings in the final on March 17. The eliminator and final will also begin at 2 p.m. in the UK and Ireland. .

Which English players are involved?

There will be six England internationals in the 2024 WPL, plus Kathryn Bryce, Scotland.

Sciver-Brunt and fast bowlers Issy Wong – who scored a hat-trick in last year's competition – was retained by Mumbai, with spinner Sophie Ecclestone and versatile Alice Capsey maintained by UP Warriorz and Delhi respectively.

Opener Danny Wyatt (Warriorz) and seamer Kate Cross (Royal Challengers Bangalore) were then purchased for around £30,000 each at the December auction.

England captain Heather Knight (RCB) and fast bowler Lauren Bell (Warriorz) were also selected for the inaugural season, but have since withdrawn from the tournament in order to prepare for the March and April white-ball tour of New Zealand.

Sciver-Brunt was the second highest scorer in the inaugural WPL, behind only former Australian captain Meg Lanning, as she scored 332 in 10 innings, while Ecclestone was the leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps, one more than Wong.

There will also be an English presence in the coaching team with England coach Jon Lewis leading the Warriorz, former England captain Charlotte Edwards leading the Indians and former Surrey keeper-batsman Jonathan Batty at the head of the Capitals.

What are the places?

Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium and Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium will host matches this term. The first 11 matches will be played in Bengaluru before the action moves to Delhi for the remainder of the tournament, including the knockout stage.

Will Wong be able to return to her best?

Let's hope so, with the young fast bowler going through a tough time since his excellent WPL a year ago.

Preparation problems led to her being left out of Birmingham Phoenix's squad in The Hundred and she subsequently struggled for England in her only international appearance of the summer, with figures of 0-24 in two overs in a T20 against Sri Lanka.

Wong's first over included a wide and three no-balls off the front foot before conceding three fours in his second over.

It may be her last appearance in England as she was not included in the squads for the impending tour to New Zealand, but says working with England bowling coach Matthew Mason will make her got back on track.

“We called it 'repair work' back then. I feel like all that is behind me now and the next step is match practice,” Wong said recently. ESPNcricinfo. “[I] I probably thought too much about what I was doing, and ended up doing the wrong things.

“I think I'm probably at my best when I'm given a situation to take our team out in and all my energy is focused on how I'm going to win the game. You just have to win the game in front of you.

“I'm absolutely fit and ready to go out there and try to contribute as much as possible. I want to win games for MI [Mumbai] for now and maybe England will happen in the future.”

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Watch all 22 WPL 2024 matches live Aerial sportsstarting with the opening match between Mumbai and Delhi on Friday from 1:50 p.m. on Sky Sports Action (2 p.m. first ball).