The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is gearing up for an exciting third season. The much-anticipated WPL 2025 Auction will be held in Bengaluru on December 15, 2024, at the ITC Gardenia. Here’s a quick overview of the event details, budgets, and notable players to watch out for.
WPL 2025 Mini Auction Details
- Date: December 15, 2024
- Venue: ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru
- Total Slots: 19 (14 Indian and 5 overseas players per team)
- Franchise Budget: INR 15 crore per team (up from INR13.5 crore last year)
Key Players in the Auction
Some of the top international stars and prominent Indian players set to go under the hammer include:
- International Stars:
- Heather Knight (England Captain)
- Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand Fast Bowler)
- Deandra Dottin (West Indies All-rounder)
- Indian Stars:
- Sneh Rana (All-rounder)
- Poonam Yadav (Leg-spinner)
- Veda Krishnamurthy (Batter)
Team Retentions and Budgets
| Team | Retained Players | Purse Remaining (₹ Crore) in INR | Released Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, Richa Ghosh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (traded from UP Warriorz) | 3.25 | Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shraddha Pokarkar, Simran Bahadur |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Saika Ishaque | 2.65 | Issy Wong, Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp | 2.50 | Laura Harris, Poonam Yadav, Aparna Mondal |
| UP Warriorz (UPW) | Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma | 3.90 | Lauren Bell, Parshavi Chopra |
| Gujarat Giants (GG) | Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt | 4.40 | Lea Tahuhu, Sneh Rana, Veda Krishnamurthy |
What’s New in WPL 2025?
- Increased Budgets: Each franchise now has INR 15 crore to build their squads, providing more room for strategic planning.
- Venue Changes: Unlike the previous editions, which were held in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru, there’s speculation about introducing a home-and-away format.
- Tournament Schedule: The WPL 2025 season is expected to run from early February to March.
The WPL 2025 Auction is expected to be a game-changer, with teams eyeing both experienced players and fresh talent. With the budgets increased and strategic retentions finalized, the auction promises an exciting lead-up to the new season.
