Glamour, business tycoons, Bollywood, drama and a crisp format! It's a power-packed combo that has helped the Indian Premier League (IPL) draw women fans in huge numbers - even those who otherwise wouldn't care too much about cricket.
Gone are the days when cricket stadiums during international matches were frequented mainly by men, with a few women seated here and there in the galleries.
Perhaps it was actress Mandira Bedi who started it when she hosted the popular show "Extra Innings" in the 2003 World Cup with Charu Sharma, and arguably lured many women to the gentleman's game. Lalit Modi's IPL has only taken the process on the fast forward mode.
Several glamorous women own some of the IPL franchises. Bollywood beauties like Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty are owners of franchises Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
From Katrina Kaif - who cheers for liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Bangalore Royal Challengers - to Juhi Chawla - who is the co-owner of Shah Rukh Khan's franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - women are becoming associated with the game more than ever before.
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