IPL 2023: Rating all the 10 teams based on their squads

IPL 2023: Rating all the 10 teams based on their squads

Teams went all out during the IPL 2023 auction to assemble a competitive lineup to strive for the best results in the tournament. Some teams succeeded, and some fell short of their targets in this auction. During the IPL 2023 auction, teams were able to acquire 87 players in total, with 80 of them being taken up by franchises and the remaining seven being left unclaimed. Sam Curran, Cameron Green, and Ben Stokes were the most expensive acquisitions in the event, with all three of them commanding high prices. 

During the IPL 2023 auction, teams had to carefully consider their strategies to obtain the players they wanted and build up a strong squad. Some teams were ultimately successful and reaped the rewards of careful planning, while others did not meet their expectations. The teams in the IPL are ranked according to their overall player ratings. 

To calculate these rankings, the benchmark players in each category – such as openers, middle order, finishers, all-rounders, pacers, and spinners – are used to compare individual players against them. Additionally, each player is also given a rating based on their performance from the previous three years in the IPL and their current domestic or international form. 

Here we rate all the 10 IPL teams based on their final squads: 

Lucknow Super Giants (5/10) 

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The Lucknow outfit had its second appearance in the auction this year after having a successful run in the previous edition of the profitable tournament. The top order of the franchise was the main source of runs, but the lack of spark in the middle order prevented them from gaining an advantage by scoring big. 

Looking ahead to the new season, the management acquired players from the auction who they believed had the potential to make an impact and lead them to success in the upcoming season. By adding Nicholas Pooran to their squad at the auction for INR 16 crores, the franchise has seemingly improved its chances of success in the upcoming season. However, Lucknow Super Giants is not a match for the other teams this season and which is why they are placed 10th on the list. 

During the auction, the Lucknow outfit signed veteran Amit Mishra at his base price of INR 50 Lakh and roped in experienced pacer Jaydev Unadkat to add a veteran presence to the team. They expect their experience to help them have a successful season. The experienced duo of KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock will be a great asset to the Lucknow franchise, giving them a much-needed advantage in the 2023 season. 

Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, and Krunal Pandya performed well in their bowling options, and Mark Wood’s availability will also help them. The middle order, though, lacked consistency and strength for the club. For example, Ayush Badoni and Marcus Stoinis lacked the consistency needed to give LSG a strong flair. 

Lucknow Super Giants Full Squad: 

KL Rahul, Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen ul Haq, Yudhvir Charak

Punjab Kings (5/10) 

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At the IPL 2023 mini-auction, the Punjab Kings made history by signing English all-rounder Sam Curran for a record INR 18.50 crore – making him the most expensive player in IPL history. After the bidding had climbed above INR 11 crore, the Punjab Kings swooped in and won the bid against Mumbai Indians with their final offer. 

As anticipated, the Punjab Kings made the first bid for their former captain Mayank Agarwal but were outmatched in the bidding war by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Nonetheless, they managed to acquire star Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza at his base price of INR 50 lakh. PBKS also showed strong interest in uncapped pacer Mukesh Kumar but unfortunately lost out to Delhi Capitals, who successfully bagged him for INR 5.5 crore. 

Going into the IPL 2023 auction, the Punjab Kings had a purse of INR 32.2 crore – the second highest amongst all teams – after letting go of nine players, including their captain Mayank Agarwal. Before the auction, they had 16 players on their roster, five of which were overseas cricketers. They also released Caribbean all-rounder Odean Smith and needed direct replacements for both Mayank and Odean. 

Unfortunately, the Punjab Kings had a disappointing mini-auction, resulting in them standing at the 9th spot on this list. They do not have any backups for Arshdeep Singh or a quality replacement for Rahul Chahar, who did not meet expectations in the last season. 

Even though the Punjab Kings splashed a record amount of 18.5 Crore on Sam Curran, their other bids were not quite enough to fill out the gaps present in the team to fulfill those voids. Nevertheless, PBKS made a good signing in the name of youngster Vidwath Kaverappa who had a fantastic performance in the 2022 domestic season. 

Punjab Kings Full Squad: 

Arshdeep Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Liam Livingstone, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Baltej Dhanda, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathe, Shivam Singh 

Royal Challengers Bangalore (6/10) 

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The team led by Faf du Plessis was successful in securing a playoff spot in the IPL 2022. But, due to inconsistencies in all departments, they were unsuccessful in the Eliminator. Yet, for the 2023 season, management also had faith in most of the players. 

Only two prominent franchise picks were available on the auction table. Royal Challengers Bangalore made wise acquisitions in English bowler Reece Topley and batsman Will Jacks. On the other hand, the other five picks have never participated in the IPL and are more likely to serve as bench warmers. 

Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj were a little odd in the previous season, but Josh Hazlewood and Wanindu Hasaranga impressed. RCB should have searched for someone like Manish Pandey to bolster their batting at number five. Mahipal Lomror appears to be set to bat in that position as of right now. 

The Bangalore-based team, which has one of cricket’s most devoted fan following, entered the auction with a purse worth 8.75 crores. While other well-known teams, including Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, made headlines for their high-profile purchases of Ben Stokes and Cameron Green, respectively, RCB was rather quiet during the earlier rounds of the auction. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore Full Squad: 

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Faf Du Plessis, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahmad, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks, Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav 

Sunrisers Hyderabad (6.5/10) 

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Before the auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad released a significant number of players to assemble a balanced squad ahead of the 2023 season. While they already had a strong bowling lineup, they needed to add great batsmen and fast-bowling all-rounders in particular. The franchise entered the mini-auction with the most money in the bank, INR 42.25 crore, of any of the teams. 

The Sunrisers and Rajasthan Royals engaged in a tense bidding war for the young English batter, Harry Brook. In the end, the Sunrisers emerged victorious and secured Brook for a whopping INR 13.25 Crores – making him their most expensive player to date and the most expensive specialist batter ever sold at a mini-auction, surpassing Shimron Hetmyer (INR 7.75 crore by Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2020 season). 

The three players in the starting eleven who have demonstrated their abilities are Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, and T Natarajan. SRH is a contender for the trophy, thanks to the addition of Aiden Markram, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tripathi, and Abhishek Sharma. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad Full Squad: 

Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tripathi, Abhishek Sharma, Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Singh Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akeal Hosein, Anmolpreet Singh 

Kolkata Knight Riders (7/10) 

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Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to gather a decent side, but the possible exemption of skipper Shreyas Iyer from IPL 2023 puts them on the back foot. However, we are yet to know the gravity of Shreyas Iyer’s injury. Iyer was ruled out of India’s 3rd Test match and also from their ODI series against Australia. 

Kolkata Knight Riders must reassemble the batting order from scratch after releasing a large number of top and middle-order batters. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, N Jagadeeshan, and Litton Das are three excellent top-order alternatives for the team for IPL 2023. Nitish Rana and Shreyas Iyer also give the squad solidity. 

KKR also has seasoned all-rounders like David Wiese, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell, who may be replaced similarly. Moreover, the bowling unit’s Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, and Tim Southee are excellent choices on the Eden Gardens ground.

Before heading to the 2023 mini-auction, KKR had 11 player slots (eight Indian and three overseas players) with a purse of INR 7.05 crore. The team had released most of their players beforehand, including Pat Cummins (who made himself unavailable to focus on national duties), Sam Billings (backed out from the auction), Aman Khan, Shivam Mavi, Mohammad Nabi, Chamika Karunaratne, Aaron Finch, Alex Hales, Abhijeet Tomar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Sharma, Baba Indrajith, Pratham Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rasikh Salam, and Sheldon Jackson. 

Kolkata Knight Riders Full Squad: 

Shreyas Iyer (c), Nitish Rana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan. 

Delhi Capitals (7.5/10) 

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Despite being led by Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals were unable to make it to the playoffs of IPL 2022 due to their subpar bowling and lack of closing-out games. However, Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, and Rovman Powell did their part in the batting department. Unfortunately, Rishabh Pant could not convert his starts into big innings, which hindered the team’s ability to win in close matches. 

The exception of Rishabh Pant from the Delhi Capital’s squad due to his recent accident has dented the side’s motivation even before entering the IPL 2023 season. To make matters worse, Delhi Capitals traded Shardul Thakur to Kolkata and were unable to find a suitable replacement for him at the auction. They were successful in getting Rilee Rossouw and Phil Salt to fill in for the injured Mitchell Marsh. But they are missing a potent all-round pace bowler of quality and an explosive Indian hitter in the middle of the order. Ishant Sharma, a seasoned Indian pacer and native of Delhi, joined the team after being acquired by the team for INR 50 Lakh. 

Delhi Capitals Full Squad: 

Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Sarfaraz Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mustafizur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Yash Dhull, Rovman Powell, Pravin Dubey, Lungi Ngidi, Vicky Ostwal, Aman Khan, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw

Gujarat Titans (8/10) 

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Because of their confidence and momentum, Gujarat Titans managed to clinch the IPL 2022 title in their first attempt. A huge part of their glory goes to their all-around efforts. Hardik Pandya, the captain, took the initiative while the bowlers and batsmen executed their roles flawlessly. 

Pandya and David Miller usually carried the team, contributing strongly to their performances. Nevertheless, finding a reliable middle-order batsman was a struggle for them, and without Pandya in a few matches, they had trouble maintaining the required pace at crucial points in the game. Kane Williamson is a reasonable investment, given his experience, but the Kiwi batsman is out of form and is questionable for the starting XI. They did well to obtain Joshua Little and Shivam Mavi, who are both performing well this year. 

The IPL 2023 mini-auction was held in Kochi on Friday, December 23, and the Gujarat Titans, the defending champions, had the plan to strengthen an already formidable team by adding more depth. In the months before this event, they had swapped veteran New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson and Afghan stumper Rahmanullah Gurbaz to the Kolkata Knight Riders. Along with Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Hardik Pandya-led team parted ways with players including Dominic Drakes, Gurkeerat Singh, Jason Roy, and Varun Aaron before the IPL 2023 auction. 

Gujarat Titans Full Squad: 

Hardik Pandya (C), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma 

Chennai Super Kings (8/10) 

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The highly popular MS Dhoni-led franchise managed to acquire England’s red-ball captain Ben Stokes at the auction. Stokes is renowned for being a one-man army, having helped England to victory in the T20 World Cup final. Also, if Deepak Chahar remains injury-free, and with the return of inform Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the competition, CSK is likely to be one of the best performers in IPL 2023. 

Chennai Super Kings have top-tier players in the name of Moeen Ali, Devon Conway, and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni, the tournament’s tried-and-true players, will make up the middle order. Yet, if they want to reach the playoffs for the 12th time, they will require consistent performances from their talented team. 

It surprised everyone when CSK went all out for Stokes when everyone thought they would go for Sam Curran to get him back into their squad. With a budget of INR 20.45 crore and seven slots to fill, including two abroad slots, CSK entered the auction. CSK made some unexpected purchases at the IPL 2023 auction and went all-in on Stokes. 

MS Dhoni and Ben Stokes previously played for the Rising Pune Supergiant. Stokes’ participation will do wonders for CSK now that Dwayne Bravo has announced his retirement from the IPL. They also brought Ajinkya Rahane, who displayed impressive performances while playing for KKR last year. It was a very strategic move to add Rahane to the team when Robin Uthappa left the situation. 

Chennai Super Kings Full Squad: 

MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Mahesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Varma 

Mumbai Indians (8.5/10) 

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In an ordinary IPL 2023 auction, the Mumbai Indians purchased Cameron Green for 17.5 Crores. The all-rounder, who many consider the future of Australian cricket, made an impression on his first white-ball tour of India. Also, they were able to get the services of seasoned spinners Piyush Chawla and Shams Mulani, which was crucial for them in 2023. However, the exemption of Jasprit Bumrah from MI’s squad can prove to be a big blow for the MI.

Jhye Richardson’s stellar performance in the BBL 2022–23 and proven track record in T20s made him a value at his base price. The additional purchases were satisfactory and are not expected to be included in the XI. The XI already had the majority of its members, and the franchise did well to put the final pieces together. 

Last season, Mumbai Indians invested heavily in Ishan Kishan and Jofra Archer, intending to create a team for the future. They performed similar acts of valor once more, this time shelling out an astounding Rs. 17.50 crore to sign Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. After a bidding war with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals, MI ultimately acquired the major player. 

Rohit Sharma can bat in the middle order, with Green opening with Ishan Kishan. This change will be worth seeing, as it can be a make or break for the franchise in the upcoming season. They have quality pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer in their ranks, which will help them in crunch moments, but there is not enough backup for them. Rohit Sharma can also slot into the middle order with Cameron Green opening with Ishan Kishan, which could be a make-or-break combination for the franchise. 

Mumbai Indians Full Squad: 

Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Hrithik Shokeen, Arjun Tendulkar, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kartikeya, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal

Rajasthan Royals (9/10) 

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Being the runner-up in the IPL 2022 season, Rajasthan Royals have high hopes of winning the trophy in 2023. After a successful auction, they now have arguably the best squad on paper. Although they already had a strong top-order and bowling lineup, they still needed to bring in an all-rounder and middle-order batsman to complete their team. 

Rajasthan Royals have a reliable batting unit with Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal make up a strong unit on the bowling side. They also have a third backup spinner in Adam Zampa, who is one of the best in the business. Joe Root, a hitter with a sound approach, has emerged as a top purchase for the squad and may serve as an anchor. On the other hand, Jason Holder will be a help to the side because of his all-around skills and give them a fifth bowling option. 

Despite releasing nine players, Rajasthan Royals entered the 2023 auction with the third-lowest purse of INR 13.2 crore. However, they were able to hold onto key players and didn’t feel pressured to drastically alter their lineup for the 2022 season, which was their strongest IPL season since winning the championship in 2008. 

With a balanced bowling lineup that included Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Sen last season, the Rajasthan Royals were excellent. The Royals also kept backup pace alternatives Obed McCoy and Navdeep Saini, but no backup spinners were available. The additions of Adam Zampa and Murugan Ashwin have significantly improved the spin department for the Royals, who have a 25-player squad for the IPL 2023. 

Rajasthan Royals Full Squad:

Sanju Samson (c & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donovan Ferreira (wk), Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, Murugan Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root.

Harmanpreet Kaur's MI are the first-ever WPL champions

Harmanpreet Kaur’s MI are the first-ever WPL champions

Yesterday was a historic day for women’s cricket. The reason? The final of the first-ever Women’s Premier League was conducted at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, which saw Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians face Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals.

On a starry Mumbai night, the WPL final saw the Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets thanks to some disciplined bowling and Nat Sciver-Brunt’s composed half-century.

Batting first, Delhi Capitals had a disastrous start losing three wickets for just 35 runs on the board. Despite the top-order collapse, Meg Lanning was standing tall before the disciplined bowling of Mumbai Indians. But a terrible mixup with Jess Jonnassen saw Lanning’s wonderful innings come to a halt. And from there saw a collapse from the Delhi batters. However, a late flourish from Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav saw the team go past 130 runs on the board. The Delhi Capitals innings ended on 131 runs on the fall of 9 wickets.

Chasing the target, Mumbai didn’t have the start they expected. The Women in Blue and Gold lost two quick wickets in under 4 overs, with the score reading just 23 runs. As it seemed like Mumbai would bottle the chase, two of Mumbai Indians’ strong pillars, Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt, played some intelligent cricket. The two stitched a 72-run stand to take their team within touching distance.

After Harmanpreet’s dismissal, Sciver-Brunt took it upon herself to take the team home. With help from Amelia Kerr, the duo toyed with the Delhi Capitals’ bowling to win the match for the team.

With this team, Mumbai Indians carved their name in history, becoming the first-ever champions of the WPL.

Let’s have a look at how the Twitter world reacted after the wonderful win by Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls.

 

 

 

 

 

Mumbai Indians’ WPL campaign was filled with several excellent individual performances that helped them become the champions. West Indian all-rounder, Hayley Matthews’s brilliant effort in the bowling department won her the “Purple Cap.” Matthews took 16 wickets in just 10 games at an average of 12.62.

England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt was adjudged the “Player of the Series” for her all-round performance. Sciver-Brunt took 10 wickets and scored 332 runs in 10 matches. Sciver-Brunt was marginally behind Meg Lanning for the “Orange Cup.”

The successful conclusion to the first-ever Women’s Premier League showed that women’s league cricket is here to stay. With the support and love that the WPL 2023 has got, the next edition promises to be bigger and better.

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur

WPL Schedule 2023: Match Timings, Teams List, Live Telecast, Schedule, Match Venue, and Live Telecast in India

The much-anticipated Women’s Premier League is about to kick off on March 4th. The entire Indian cricket fraternity is hyped for the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League.  Rachael Haynes, head coach of Gujarat Giants, feels women’s cricket will benefit a lot due to the WPL. She says, “There are lots of different elements that hopefully can come together through the WPL, and hopefully, Indian cricket can be richer for it.”

ICC General Manager Cricket, Wasim Khan, seconded Haynes’ opinion. In a press conference, he said, “India continues to lead the way with regard to women’s cricket. The values brought in for the WPL teams reiterate the potential of women’s cricket.”

The first-ever WPL will run from March 4th to 26th and will be conducted entirely in Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium. The WPL is a landmark event for women’s cricket, and five high-profile teams will be a part of it; Adani Group-owned Gujarat Giants, Reliance Industries-owned Mumbai Indians, Diageo-owned Royal Challengers Bangalore, JSW-GMR-owned Delhi Capitals, and Capri-Global owned UP Warriorz.

These five teams will play a total of 22 matches during the 23-day tournament. The first match will be between Beth Mooney-led Gujarat Giants and Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Indians on 4th March at 7:30 PM in Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium.

Check out the entire schedule of the first Women’s Premier League.

Timetable of Women's Premier League

When is the Women’s Premier League starting?

The 2023 Women’s Premier League starts on March 4th and will end on March 26th. All the matches will be played at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium and Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium.

How many teams will be in the Women’s Premier League?

The first edition of the WPL will stage a total of 20 league matches between 5 franchises (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz). A total of two play-off matches will also take place and will be played over 23 days.

Where can you watch the Women’s Premier League live?

The TATA Women’s Premier League will be live-streamed on Jio Cinema. For television users in India, the women’s league will be telecasted on the Sports18 channel. For users who reside outside India, they can watch the league on the following channels:

Location Broadcaster
United Kingdom Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event
United States Willow TV
Australia Fox Sports, Yupp TV
Middle East Willow TV
South Africa SuperSport
New Zealand Sky Sport NZ (Sky Sport 2)
Caribbean Flow Sports (Flow Sports 2)
Canada Willow TV
Bangladesh Channel 9
Afghanistan Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA)
Nepal Yupp TV, Net TV Nepal, SimTV Nepal
Sri Lanka Yupp TV, SLRC, Dialog TV, PeoTV
Singapore StarHub TV+
Maldives Yupp TV, Medianet

There’s no doubt that the WPL will make India a superpower in women’s cricket. But will it act as a catalyst to improve the level of cricket the Women in Blue play?

Ranking all the teams from the Women's Premier League

Ranking all the teams from the Women’s Premier League

We witnessed how many Women’s cricketers garnered significant sums from teams during the recently concluded Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction as a result of their spotless records and dazzling numbers. A few celebrities who made news after becoming some of the most expensive purchases at the event were Smriti Mandhana, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Ashleigh Gardner, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma. Their input will be essential in determining the success of their respective franchises in the forthcoming competition. 

In the historic first Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction on February 13, INR 59.50 crore was spent on 87 players, 30 of whom are international stars. The performances of the international players will undoubtedly play a significant role in determining the fate of the teams come March. Only 87 of the 449 players featured in the WPL 2023 auction could secure contracts. Some well-known performers from the global stage went unsold from the auction’s focus from either of the franchises. 

The first season of Women’s Premier League is set to begin on 4th March, and the finals of the tournament will be played on 26th March. Before the tournament proceeds, let’s have a look at the best teams in the grand Indian tournament. 

Ranking all the teams from the Women’s Premier League 

Royal Challengers Bangalore 

RCB bought a total of 18 players for a sum of 11.9 crores. RCB enjoys constructing its brand around famous players. Imagine the men’s team as having Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli. Similar to the Women’s Premier League(WPL), they have set up a formidable trio consisting of Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, a four-time winner of the T20 World Cup, and Dane van Niekerk of South Africa. 

Apart from some of the renowned Indian superstars, RCB has managed to gather a talented bunch of international all-rounders. The team’s coach and management have the difficult task of deciding which cricketers to leave out of their far-reaching and talented squad, featuring renowned players such as Perry, Sophie Devine, van Niekerk, and Heather Knight, who all possess both batting and bowling capabilities. 

Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Renuka Singh add even more firepower to the already impressive overseas contingent of top-class cricketers. This set of players automatically makes RCB one of the top favorites to win the Indian T20 League. However, the lack of a quality Indian wrist-spinner on the bouncy Mumbai pitches might be a drawback. 

Captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore for WPL: Smriti Mandhana

RCB’s complete squad for 2023: 

Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.4 crore), Sophie Devine (INR 50 lakh), Ellyse Perry (INR 1.7 crore), Renuka Singh (INR 1.5 crore), Richa Ghosh (INR 1.9 crore), Erin Burns (INR 30 lakh), Disha Kasat (INR 10 lakh), Indrani Roy (INR 10 lakh), Shreyanka Patil (INR 10 lakh), Kanika Ahuja (35 lacks), Asha Shobana (INR 10 lakh), Heather Knight (INR 40 lakh), Dane van Niekerk (INR 30 lakh), Preeti Bose (INR 30 lakh), Poonam Khemnar (INR 10 lakh), Komal Zanzad (INR 25 lakh), Megan Schutt (INR 40 lakh), Sahana Pawar (INR 10 lakh).

Overall Rating: (4.3/5) 

Mumbai Indians 

MI purchased a total of 18 players for a sum of 12 crores. A chance to play for the MI-based franchise will be especially poignant for Harmanpreet Kaur, who made her debut on the Mumbai pitches in 2013 with a memorable century in the Women’s World Cup. This return to the city will mark the start of an exciting new phase of Indian women’s cricket, during which Harmanpreet could potentially lead the Mumbai Indians. Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Pooja Vastrakar are sure to appear at the top of the team’s lineup. Both Sciver-Brunt and Vastrakar are essential cogs because of their mobility in the field against speed and spin, as well as their superb medium pace and ability to bowl a heavy ball in the middle overs. 

Mumbai Indians have gone the extra mile in gathering a large selection of reserve players thanks to their dedicated scouting system. Additionally, they have also developed a robust pool of India Under-19 players and will use this time to help them grow and develop over the years. Mumbai Indians are known for creating superstars like the franchise previously did with Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. With Yastika Bhatia as the sole wicketkeeper, Mumbai Indians lack backup options in that area. They could also use more Indian seam bowlers, as Vastrakar is their only option in this regard. 

Captain of Mumbai Indians for WPL: Harmanpreet Kaur

MI’s complete squad for 2023: 

Harmanpreet Kaur (INR 1.8 crore), Nat Sciver (INR 3.2 crore), Amelia Kerr (INR 1 crore), Pooja Vastrakar (INR 1.9 crore), Yastika Bhatia (INR 1.5 crore), Heather Graham (INR 30 lakh), Isabelle Wong (INR 30 lakh), Amanjot Kaur (INR 50 lakh), Dhara Gujar (INR 10 lakh), Saika Ishaque (INR 10 lakh), Hayley Matthews (INR 40 lakh), Chloe Tryon (INR 30 lakh), Humairaa Khazi (INR 10 lakh), Priyanka Bala (INR 20 lakh), Sonam Yadav (INR 10 lakh), Jintimani Kalita (INR 10 lakh), Neelam Bisht (INR 10 lakh). 

Overall Rating: (4/5) 

Delhi Capitals 

Delhi Capitals bought a total of 18 players for a sum of 11.65 crores. Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Marizanne Kapp’s performance and expertise will be important for the Capitals in their first competitive venture. The Capitals’ top order is composed of Shafali, Rodrigues, and Lanning. Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Meg Lanning makes the team look invincible on paper. 

Delhi Capitals have a strong bowling troupe consisting of Poonam Yadav, Jess Jonassen, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, and Marizanne Kapp. With Taniya Bhatia and Aparna Mondal as wicketkeepers, however, the lower-middle order might be hindered due to their lack of striking ability. 

Captain of Delhi Capitals for WPL: Not yet announced

DC’s complete squad for 2023:

Jemimah Rodrigues (INR 2.2 crore), Meg Lanning (INR 1.1 crore), Shafali Verma (INR 2 crore), Radha Yadav (INR 40 lakh), Shikha Pandey (INR 60 lakh), Marizanne Kapp (INR 1.5 crore), Titas Sadhu (INR 25 lakh), Alice Capsey (INR 75 lakh), Tara Norris (INR 10 lakh), Laura Harris (INR 45 lakh), Jasia Akhter (INR 20 lakh), Minnu Mani (INR 30 lakh), Jess Jonassen (INR 50 lakh), Taniyaa Bhatia (INR 30 lakh), Poonam Yadav (INR 30 lakh), Sneha Deepthi (INR 30 lakh), Arundhati Reddy (INR 30 lakh), Aparna Mondal (INR 10 lakh). 

Overall Rating: (4/5) 

Gujarat Giants 

GG amassed a total of 18 players for a sum of 11.5 crores. Gujarat Giants made Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner one of the most expensive overseas purchases in the auction at INR 3.2 crore (USD 390,000 approx). Ashleigh Gardner recently achieved her best-ever bowling figures in T20Is. Gardner mentioned that the conditions at DY Patil Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium are perfect for good strokeplay, which will benefit her as a hitter and also help the ball grip and turn. Her performance with both bat and ball is expected to make a significant impact. 

With her abundance of experience in the domestic circuit, Sneh Rana could be a huge asset for Mumbai Indians during the Women’s Premier League. Additionally, she will be reuniting with Nooshin Al Khadeer, her former Railways coach, who has had a major impact on Rana’s return to the national side. Her flight and dip with the ball could be strategic tools for the two venues hosting all 22 games. 

Gujarat Giants have some of the most specialized overseas options available to them, in addition to reliable all-rounders Deandra Dottin and Annabel Sutherland, who both specialize in seam bowling. Gujarat Giants are lacking a bit in the local Indian experience department, with Harleen Deol, S Meghana, and D Hemalatha being their only Indian batters who can be trusted in critical moments or if any unexpected injuries arise. 

Captain of Gujarat Giants for WPL: Not yet announced

GG’s complete squad for 2023: 

Ashleigh Gardner (Rs 3.2 crore), Beth Mooney (Rs 2.2 crore), Sophia Dunkley (INR 60 lakh), Annabel Sutherland (INR 70 lakh), Harleen Deol (INR 40 lakh), Deandra Dottin (INR 60 lakh), Sneh Rana (INR 75 lakh), Sabbineni Meghana (INR 30 lakh), Georgia Wareham (INR 75 lakh), Mansi Joshi (INR 30 lakh), Dayalan Hemalatha (INR 30 lakh), Monica Patel (INR 30 lakh), Tanuja Kanwer (INR 50 lakh), Sushma Verma (INR 60 lakh), Hurley Gala (INR 10 lakh), Parunika Sisodia (INR 10 lakh), Shabnam Shakeel (INR 10 lakh), Ashwani Kumari (INR 35 lakh).

Overall Rating: (3.5/5) 

UP Warriorz (3.4/5) 

UP Warriorz bought a total of 18 players for a sum of 11.5 crores. UP Warriorz has an extremely well-rounded squad. Along with Deepti, Devika Vaidya, Parshavi Chopra, Grace Harris, and Tahlia McGrath, who can all provide an impact with both the bat and ball, the team has the potential to shift momentum and take the game in their favor.

Deepti Sharma is a key player in the line-up, especially in spin-friendly pitch conditions in Mumbai. Sharma was India’s second-most expensive player in the WPL 2023 auction with an INR 2.6 crore price tag, behind Smriti Mandhana. Sharma’s ability to produce results with both batting and bowling makes her a vital part of the team. Alyssa Healy is an essential part of the Warriorz top lineup and team, offering plenty of international experience. She has a remarkable ability to turn the tides in her team’s favor, with an impressive batting average of 128.26 in T20Is. 

Warriorz has an excellent core spin trio with Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Sophie Ecclestone, and Deepti at the helm. With Shabnim Ismail and Anjali Sarvani providing quality support in the pace department, Healy, the Under-19 India opener Shweta Sehrawat, and McGrath form a solid top order. Having said that, Kiran Navgire and the lesser-known Laxmi Yadav are the only dedicated batters in the middle order; Warriorz needs players who can take on an anchor role if a few quick wickets fall early in innings. 

Captain of UP Warriorz for WPL: Alyssa Healy

UP Warriorz complete squad for 2023: 

Sophie Ecclestone (INR 1.8 crore), Deepti Sharma (INR 2.6 crore), Tahlia McGrath (INR 1.4 crore), Shabnim Ismail (INR 1 crore), Alyssa Healy (INR 70 lakh), Anjali Sarvani (INR 55 lakh), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (INR 40 lakh), Parshavi Chopra (INR 10 lakh), Shweta Sehrawat (INR 40 lakh), S Yashasri (INR 10 lakh), Kiran Navgire (INR 30 lakh), Grace Harris (INR 75 lakh), Devika Vaidya (INR 1.4 crore), Lauren Bell (INR 30 lakh), Laxmi Yadav (INR 10 lakh), Simran Shaikh (INR 10 lakh).

Overall Rating: (3.4/5) 

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