The second edition of the Women's Premier League was a success (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via ... [+] Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

Even Ellyse Perry was left awestruck. That's no easy feat considering the Australian superstar is a household name in her country and has seen it all before.

She was part of Australia's stunning home triumph at the T20 World Cup in 2020 in front of 85,000 fans at the iconic MCG capped by a performance from Katy Perry in what felt like a harbinger moment for women's cricket.

Almost exactly four years later, Perry was feeling giddy after Royal Challengers Bangalore’s triumph in the second edition of the Women's Premier League after beating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets. It was a feat RCB's much-hyped male counterparts have never managed.

Perry, the player of the tournament, had helped RCB silence Delhi's faithful at a capacity 37,000 Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi, led by legendary former Australian captain Meg Lanning, are now two-time finalists.

"This is pretty bonkers. This is a whole other level for us and women’s cricket," beamed Perry. "The standard of cricket has been unbelievable, it’s been so much fun to play.”

Ellyse Perry starred in the Women's Premier League (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

When Perry started playing professional cricket in Australia in the late 2000s, she was playing in front of the tiniest crowds that mostly comprised friends and family of players.

She could not have imagined in her wildest dreams of playing in a tournament like the WPL that is luring the world's best players through big pay cheques as crowds grew steadily in its second edition.

The WPL has been hailed a game-changer for women's cricket with top players earning $400,000 for the three-week tournament. The best young players can make serious money quickly with Australian allrounder Annabel Sutherland, who is only 22, snapped up for $240,000 by Delhi in last season's auction.

With the best players to embrace, franchises are quickly building rabid fanbases that underpin the men's money-spinner Indian Premier League, which will start its 17th season later this week.

It's hard not to see the WPL only getting bigger and stronger much like the IPL. With women's Test cricket rarely played, there isn't quite the scheduling issues that persist in men's cricket.

Stretching out the WPL might just be feasible. It will, of course, be determined by India's all-powerful and affluent cricket governing body, who have pumped serious resources into making this a reality.

India had been traditionally well behind Australia and England in developing women's cricket, but have shrewdly created a women's version of the money-spinning IPL that has captured the imagination of cricket fans.

Delhi Capitals' captain Meg Lanning led her team to the final (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty ... [+] Images)AFP via Getty Images

There is serious money underpinning the WPL, whose five teams fetched $572 million on the back of Viacom 18 forking out $116 million for the media rights for the next five years. The value per-game is around $1 million making it the world's second-most valuable women's sports league after the WNBA.

Like the IPL, the tournament is a breeding ground for Indian talent. Mighty India are desperate to start dominating the sport with their women's team having never won a World Cup of any format. World domination has not ensued in men's cricket since the advent of the IPL although one suspects that might not be far off.

Australia have overwhelmingly dominated women's cricket in a nod to their long-time investment. But India are certainly coming and it might be just a matter of time before they start to take control of the game on-and-off the field.

But it was an Australian hero capturing the imagination of this WPL season, as Ellyse Perry couldn't wipe the smile off her face as the confetti fell on the new champions.