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Women's cricket has grown in large numbers in the last decade, especially in the last 3-4 years and we are seeing more and more T20 Leagues taking shape in the women's game. The Women's T20 League is one such competition that might be still in its infancy but has become a star-studded affair, featuring some of the best international women's cricketers from across the globe to go along with the rising stars of India, making it quite a marquee competition. The third edition of the Women's T20 League is set to get bigger and better as it will be played across four different venues in four different legs, starting in Vadodara at the newly constructed BCA Stadium. The curtain raiser clash will feature home side Gujarat and they will be taking on reigning champions and massive crowd favorites Bengaluru in what should be an enthralling encounter. Talking a bit more about the league itself, the Women's T20 League is India's premier T20 competition on the women's side which is more or less equal to the Indian T20 League on the men's side and with the first two seasons being a resounding success, the teams and the fans will be looking forward to new venues and challenges. Moving onto the teams then, Gujarat have possibly had the most underwhelming first couple of seasons and haven't quite made a push for the playoffs yet but it is a new season and they have some new recruits that will bolster their squad. The biggest news from the Gujarat camp was that Ash Gardner has been made their skipper and she will replace fellow Aussie Beth Mooney in that role but Mooney will continue to be a big asset at the top with the bat and also behind the stumps. Their biggest signing in the auction was certainly Deandra Dottin who seems to have found a second wind, coming back from international retirement and she is looking almost at her best and her three-dimensional skills could be the X-Factor that Gujarat have lacked in the previous two seasons. They also splurged INR 1.9cr on Simran Shaikh, the budding fast bowler who previously played for UP. Phoebe Litchfield and Laura Wolvaardt will be expected to score those big runs at the top but between these two and Mooney, one might have to sit out to balance the side. They also have the likes of Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha and Kashvee Gautam to fill the batting lineup amidst all those big names but it will certainly be their bowling that will need to deliver. Ash Gardner is a seasoned spinner and Meghna Singh will lead the pace attack but the addition of Simran Shaikh and Dani Gibson gives them options in the pace department should they need it. The left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwer will also hope to build on her impressive showing in the last season. Moving on to Bengaluru, the reigning champions, who after a very underwhelming first season, turned things around brilliantly last season and that home crowd played a role in it as well. Bengaluru have kept a strong core, retaining their big names but with Sophie Devine on a break and the likes of Sophie Molineux and Kate Cross missing out due to injuries, they have had to bring in some replacements as well in the form of Charlie Dean, Heather Graham and Kim Garth and all three of them are quite handy cricketers as well. Another major concern, at least for the first game is the unavailability of a few more injured stars like Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil, both of whom are a big part of the team. Also, the breakthrough leg spinner from last season, Asha Shobhana has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury and Bengaluru have replaced her with Nuzhat Parween. Still, Bengaluru have plenty of depth and the onus will be on skipper Smriti Mandhana to lead from the front if they do have to field a depleted lineup in the opening game. Some of the big names that are almost certain to play the opening game include lead pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, hard-hitting Richa Ghosh, the in-form leggie Georgia Wareham and the dynamic top-order batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge who was also one of their hot buys in the latest auction. All in all, we have one team that is looking for a rebuild and another that is coming off of great success but might have a few forced changes in the lineup and this should make for a pretty close contest. It is a newly constructed stadium in Vadodara which means the pitch and ground conditions will be unknown for everyone but the weather should be nice and cool in the evening, making for a lovely setting. Who do you think will come out on top in the season opener?