With only a couple of days remaining in the historic Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction, which will usher in a new era in Indian cricket, especially for the female players who, for years, have been largely ignored due to the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
As the five franchises chosen to have their teams as part of the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will take place on February 13 at the Jio Convention Center in Mumbai, the red-letter day for women’s sport throughout the world is quickly approaching.
This WPL 2023 auction will be exciting because all five teams want to put together a team that can win the championship as well as a squad that will win them a devoted fan base. The most talented players will therefore be monitored by all teams, with fan favourites receiving special consideration.
All 5 franchises will select their respective teams from a pool of 409 players during the WPL 2023 auction. Each team will have 12–12 crores to spend during the auction, and these teams will be allowed to add up to 18 players to their roster. Let’s look at top of the players who may prompt a bidding battle on February 13 during the WPL 2023 auction.
Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana, one of the top hitters in the world, will undoubtedly spark a fierce bidding war and may end up leading her franchise. The southpaw has extensive experience playing franchise cricket across the globe, and with 2,561 T20I runs under her belt, she is India’s second-highest scorer in the format.
Mandhana has scored 935 more T20I runs than any other player since 2021, and she has done it at a respectable strike rate of 130.6.
Harmanpreet Kaur
Regardless of the format or competition she plays in, the Indian captain is no stranger to lighting the stage on fire, and this time will be no exception. Given her ability to contribute in all three areas, the 34-year-old is sure to draw several bids and, like Mandhana, may be considered as the captain of her franchise. Do not be at all surprised if Kaur ends the WPL 2023 auction with the highest money.
Shafali Verma
Shefali Verma recently led the Indian Under-19 women’s side to win the T20 World Cup. This player, who is only 19 years old, has already participated in 51 T20Is for India and amassed 1231 runs at an average of 24.62. The strike rate for Shefali is 134.53. In the T20I rankings for women batsmen, Shafali is ranked at number eight. He will undoubtedly get a high bid at the auction.
Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma is one Indian player who is currently enjoying the great form of her life. The top all-around spinner consistently takes wickets with the ball and has improved as a finisher with the bat. Her fielding abilities are nothing less than extraordinary. She can be the one reliable all-rounder which teams would like to bid on during the WPL 2023 auction.
Jemimah Rodrigues
Jemimah Rodrigues is a young player who has been in the game for a while. Although she still has a ways to go in ODI cricket, the T20 format is one in which she has excelled. She is already a fan favourite. Jemimah is a rising talent who has proven she can overcome challenges. She can also get high bids from any of the five franchisees at the WPL 2023 auction.
