The auction for the second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL 2024) is scheduled on December 09, 2023, in Mumbai. Earlier, the BCCI announced a list of 165 players who will be part of the WPL auction. The auction list includes 104 Indians and 61 overseas players of which 15 players are from associate nations. 60 players including 21 overseas cricketers were retained across five franchises while 29 players were released from their existing squads.
Ahead of the WPL 2024 auction, here are the players who might be targeted by each team on December 09.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – Phoebe Litchfield
Royal Challengers Bangalore has retained 11 players and they have released seven players. They have around 3.35 crore rupees in their pocket for the players’ auction where they will need to get some good deals. Phoebe Litchfield will be one of the key players who might get targeted by RCB in the coming auction for WPL 2024.
Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield got recognition for her superlative technique, timing and her capability to score runs all-around the ground. She has broken a couple of records and has already entrenched herself in a star-studded Australian side. In October 2023, the 20-year-old achieved the record for the fastest half-century in 18 balls in Women’s T20I, levelling Sophie Devine’s previous best.
Given her spectacular rise in the shortest format, the young Australian batter could become one of the most expensive players of the WPL 2024. As RCB has a good amount left, they will surely bid for Phoebe Litchfield to grab her in the squad.
UP Warriorz – Chamari Athapaththu
UP Warriorz have 4 crore rupees to spend in the WPL 2024 auction. They have retained 13 players and have released four players. They will look to get someone like Chamari Athapaththu in their squad for this season who will bring more flexibility to their side.
The captain of the Sri Lanka team, Athapaththu is known for her explosive batting and the ability to bowl off-spin. She has had a great WBBL season recently and brings a wealth of experience from some big leagues like Women’s Big Bash League and Women’s Caribbean Premier League. The ace all-rounder was the second-highest run-getter with 552 runs for the Sydney Thunder in WBBL. She also claimed nine wickets in the tournament.
READ MORE: WPL 2024: The Ultimate Guide To Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Ahead Of The Auction For Women’s Premier League 2024
In the WPL 2024 auction, Chamari Athapaththu will get in with a base price of Rs. 30 lakh. She will be an appealing option for franchises looking for a versatile all-rounder in their squad and UP Warriorz will look to bid on her to strengthen their team before the start of the WPL 2024 season.
Mumbai Indians (MI) – Uma Chetry
Defending champion Mumbai Indians will have the smallest purse of 2.1 crore at its disposal amongst the five franchises. They have also retained 13 players and have released four players from their previous squad. MI is already a star-studded side with some big overseas players, so they will focus more on Indian players in the WPL 2024 auction.
Amongst the Indian players who have registered for the auction, Uma Chetry is one of the best options to grab as she is recently making her appearance in big tournaments. She will be available at a base price of Rs. 10 lakh in the auction. A valiant wicket-keeper batter who opens the batting is a dream for any T20 franchise and she is one of them who will bring an extra advantage in the side. The young batter from Assam has made an impact in the recently concluded three-match T20 series between India A and England A with a few brisk 20s and secure catching behind the stumps.
Earlier this year, Uma Chetry was also given a call-up to the senior Indian team as a backup to Yastika Bhatia for their tour to Bangladesh. She can be a valuable addition to any franchise looking for a wicket-keeper batter who can open the innings as well. The 21-year-old all-rounder is rising at a rapid pace in Indian cricket and can get a good deal in this season’s auction.
Gujarat Giants – Deandra Dottin
Gujarat Giants will head into the WPL 2024 auction with the biggest salary cap available of Rs. 5.95 crore. They will aim to grab a big deal this season. Giants have retained only 8 players and have released a maximum number of players from their squad amongst all franchises. They will look for star players to build a strong team for this season.
West Indies star player Deandra Dottin headlines the top bracket with the highest price of Rs. 50 lakh alongside Kim Garth. She is an all-rounder known for her big-hitting prowess. The 32-year-old was initially bought by Gujarat Giants but missed the season due to medical reasons. She has smashed 2681 runs in 124 T20I for the Caribbean team and has racked up 61 wickets so far in the same number of matches.
The veteran all-rounder will go into the upcoming auction as one of the top attractions and is expected to become the highlight of the bidding war between the franchises. Gujarat Giants have the biggest pocket moving in the auction, hence they will try to close the big deal of the champion player by buying her.
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Delhi Capitals (DC) – Kim Garth
Delhi Capitals have retained the most number of players and have released just three players. They have 2.25 crore rupees in their cap before the WPL 2024 auction. Capitals will not be looking to make many deals, they will be aiming to trade in a few but the best players only. Kim Garth might be one of the targeted players for the Delhi Capitals.
The 27-year-old pacer will enter the auction with the highest base price of Rs. 50 lakh. She is an Australian fast bowler who featured for the Gujarat Giants in the first season but was released ahead of the upcoming auction. In the WPL 2023 Garth claimed 11 wickets in seven matches while scoring 44 runs. She had a good WBBL season too as she finished the edition with nine wickets and 73 runs.
Kim Garth has also played for Ireland earlier at international level. She has been a great performer for Australia recently and her performance in big leagues further highlights her all-round capabilities. As a multi-skilled and impactful player, Garth is likely to be among the most sought-after players in the WPL 2024 auction on December 09, 2023.
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