The inaugural player’s auction of the Women’s Premier League is set to take place on Monday, February 13 at the Jio Convention Center in Mumbai. The five teams – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and UP Warriorz will be up to the challenge to put together champions teams.
A total of 409 players will go under the hammer at the auctions. Out of this, 246 players are Indians and 163 are overseas, including eight from the associate nations. The highest base price set for the auction is 50 lakhs, with a total of 24 players enlisting themselves under this bracket. Some of these players are expected to start a bidding war in the auction room.
Let’s take a look at three players who can win big at the 2023 Women’s Premier League auction:
#Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana is one of the top cricketers in world cricket at the moment. She has been a vital figure across formats for Team India, scoring 3073 runs at an average of 43.28 in ODIs, and 2651 runs in T20Is. Mandhana was also a part of the Women’s Big Bash League and the Women’s Hundred tournaments.
The left-hander’s experience will be a huge asset for any franchise in the league. She will be looked at by the WPL teams as a captaincy candidate at the auction. Smriti Mandhana has set 50 Lakhs as her base price for the season and is likely to be one of the most sought-after players.
#Alyssa Healy
Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy is one of the most destructive batters going around. She can take on the bowler right from the word go. In 137 T20Is, the right-handed batter has scored 2355 runs at an average of 23.78 and a strike rate of 128.26. In October 2019 she slammed an unbeaten 148 off 61 balls against Sri Lanka.
Alyssa Healy’s match-winning knock in the 2020 T20 World Cup final is one of the highlights of her astonishing career. She is the second-leading run-scorer of all time in the Women’s Big Bash League. The wicket-keeper batter has scored 3769 at an average of 48.94. Alyssa Healy’s dynamic batting prowess makes her a definite candidate to earn big at the Women’s Premier League auction.
#Shafali Verma
Team India cricketer Shafali Verma has had an impressive career so far. She is a pocket-dynamo, who can change the course of any game with her explosive batting. The youngster is known for providing brisk starts to the team and will be a valuable addition to any franchise. She recently led the Indian team to the U19 World Cup title in its inaugural edition.
Shafali Verma has played 52 T20Is for Team India, scoring 1241 runs at an average of 24.82 and a strike rate of 134.30. She was the leading run-scorer for India at the 2020 T20 World Cup and the fifth overall on the list. The opener will be high on the list of all five franchises.
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