The inaugural auction of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023 was held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai on Monday.
The five franchises – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz – put their thinking caps on and picked what they thought would be the best combination ahead of the tournament.
A total of 448 cricketers went under the hammer – of which 269 were Indians and 179 overseas (19 of those players were from the Associate Nations).
Accordingly, West Indies captain Hayley Mathews and former West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin were the only two West Indian players sold in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.
The WPL is the women’s version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and will be played between March 4 and March 26.
Mathews, currently representing the regional team in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa where she scored 44 runs in their opening match against England, was sold to Mumbai Indians for US$49,000.
After representing West Indies in 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is since his international debut in 2008, Dotin, who retired from international cricket in 2022, moved to Gujarat Giants for US$73,000. However, leg-spinner Afy Fletcher and fast bowler Shamilia Connell were West Indies’ unsold players.
Opener Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive Indian player who went to Royal Challengers Bangalore for US$415,000. England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Australia’s Ash Gardner were the most expensive foreign players, paying US$390,000 to Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants respectively.
Teams will play against each other in a double round-robin format, with the three teams finishing with the most points entering the playoff stages of the competition. According to the BCCI, the number of games and a number of teams will be increased in future seasons if the league is a success.
WPL 2023 Players Auction: All five team’s full squad
UP Warriorz Squad (16 players – 6 overseas)
Sophie Ecclestone (Eng); Deepti Sharma (India); Tahlia McGrath (Aus); Shabnim Ismail (SA); Alyssa Healy (Aus); Anjali Sarvani (India); Rajeshwari Gayakwad (India); Parshavi Chopra (India); Shweta Sehrawat (India); S Yashasri (India); Kiran Navgire (India); Grace Harris (Aus); Devika Vaidya (India); Lauren Bell (Eng); Laxmi Yadav (India); Simran Shaikh (India)
Gujarat Giants Squad (18 players – 6 overseas)
Ashleigh Gardner (Aus); Beth Mooney (Aus); Sophia Dunkley (Eng); Annabel Sutherland (Aus); Harleen Deol (India); Deandra Dottin (WI); Sneh Rana (India); Sabbhineni Meghana (India); Georgia Wareham (Aus); Mansi Joshi (India); Dayalan Hemalatha (India); Monica Patel (India); Tanuja Kanwer (India); Sushma Verma (India); Hurley Gala (India); M Ashwani Kumari (India); Parunika Sisodia (India); Shabman Shakil (India)
Delhi Capitals Squad (18 players – 6 overseas)
Jemimah Rodrigues (India); Meg Lanning (Aus); Shafali Verma (India); Radha Yadav (India); Shikha Pandey (India); Marizanne Kapp (SA); Titas Sadhu (India); Alice Capsey (Eng); Laura Harris (Aus); Jasia Akhter (India); Minnu Mani (India); Tara Norris (USA); Taniya Bhatia (India); Poonam Yadav (India); Jes Jonassen (Aus); Sneha Deepthi (India); Aparna Mondal (India); Arundhati Reddy (India)
Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad (18 players – 6 overseas)
Smriti Mandhana (India); Sophie Divine (NZ); Elyse Perry (Aus); Renuka Singh (India); Richa Ghosh (India); Erin Burns (Aus); Disha Kasat (India); Indrani Roy (India); Asha Shobana (India); Kanika Ahuja (India); Dane van Niekerk (SA); Preeti Bose (India); Poonam Khemnar (India); Komal Zanzad (India); Megan Schutt (Aus); Sahana Pawar (India); Heather Knight (Eng); Shreyanka Patil (India)
Mumbai Indians Squad (17 players – 6 overseas)
Harmanpreet Kaur (India); Natalie Sciver (Eng); Amelia Kerr (NZ); Pooja Vastrakar (India); Yastika Bhatia (India); Heather Graham (Aus); Isabelle Wong (Eng); Amanjot Kaur (India); Dhara Gujjar (India); Saika Ishaque (India); Hayley Matthews (WI); Chloe Tryon (SA); Humaira Kazi (India); Priyanka Bala (India); Sonam Yadav (India); Jintimani Kalita (India); Neelam Bisht (India)