RCB Women register their first win in WPL

RCB Women register their first win in WPL

After five successive defeats, Royal Challengers Bangalore Women have registered their first victory in the Women’s Premier League. The Smriti Mandhana led-side has defeated UP Warriorz by five wickets thanks to their disciplined bowling and smart batting.

Winning the toss, RCB opted to field first. Taking full advantage of the conditions, the Bangalore side restricted the side to 135 runs. For RCB, Ellyse Perry was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 16 runs. Asha Shobhana and Sophie Devine took two wickets apiece.

While chasing, the Royal Challengers had a disastrous start. The Banglore side lost their skipper Smriti Mandhana for a duck. Mandhana’s opening partner Sophie Devine soon followed her to the pavilion. The side was in a difficult situation when Kanika Ahuja and Richa Ghosh stitched an important partnership to take the side home.

Mandhana was all praises for the young batters. In the post-match ceremony, she said, “Yeah, it was tense. We lost a couple of wickets in the 7th over, it was a bit nervous. But the way Kanika and Richa played was brilliant. Kanika in particular, really proud of her. Really excited to see her bat, the approach she has. She is a 360 degree player, who isn’t the most common in Indian cricket.”

With this victory, Royal Challengers Bangalore opened its account on the points table. Currently, the side is in the fourth position and faces Gujarat Giants on March 18.

Can WPL be a game-changer for women's cricket?

Can WPL be a game-changer for women’s cricket?

The current generation of women cricketers has been presented with amazing opportunities. The introduction of the Women’s Premier League has allowed them to show their talents and gain recognition in an arena that provides more lucrative opportunities. The women’s Premier League is a dream come true for many cricketers. With the support of franchise owners and sponsors, it is now up to the players to use their skills and expertise to take the league to a whole new level of entertainment that everyone can enjoy. 

Over the past decade, women’s cricket in India has seen an increase in media coverage, especially on social media platforms. This surge of support has led to the demand for a T20 league similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is dedicated to female cricketers. The idea behind the Women’s Premier League is straightforward – to give female cricketers the recognition and fame that the male players have been enjoying for so long. With the highly anticipated start of the WPL in Mumbai this Saturday, we can be hopeful that this will be a successful step toward giving women in cricket the spotlight they deserve. 

Can WPL do for women’s cricket what IPL did for men’s cricket? 

The introduction of the Women’s Premier League is a significant step in giving female cricketers the recognition they deserve. It will bring them into the wider cricket conversation, encouraging the use of gender-neutral terms like “batter” and allowing them to be seen in the same light as their male counterparts. 

A glitzy opening ceremony marked the start of the inaugural WPL

Source: Cricbuzz

The advantages of having a top-level T20 league, such as the IPL or the Women’s Big Bash League, have been evident. Harmanpreet Kaur’s legendary 171 not out against Australia in the 2017 ODI World Cup final created a powerful ripple effect that changed the sport in India. This remarkable feat was spurred by her successful first season in the WBBL, demonstrating just how influential a good league can be. 

The Indian cricket fan is known for its unique characteristics, which can be successfully tapped into by a franchise-owned daily league. This will be much more effective and emotionally engaging than the four-match Women’s T20 Challenge that BCCI had in place previously. Apart from the huge amount of money, media attention, team ownership, and sponsorship, the major objective of the WPL is to mainstream women’s cricket in the sporting conversation. 

Beyond the headlines, the Women’s Premier League has the potential to capture the hearts of India’s cricket-obsessed fans. These are the people who spend time analyzing and discussing last night’s match, making memes about it, and critiquing their play. Cricket is indeed more than just a sport in India, and it’s time for the WPL to capitalize on that for the betterment of Women’s cricket. 

The Women’s Premier League will not only give women’s cricket a platform for the future but will also continue to elevate its current profile in the sport. Beyond the well-known names like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, and Harmanpreet Kaur, how many other Indian female cricketers are truly recognized in India? How many Indian fans know about them? 

Did you know that explosive opening batter Shafali Verma disguised herself as a boy to join the district team? Or that fast bowler Shikha Pandey was also part of the Indian Air Force as a squadron leader? Incredible stories like these are what will make the Women’s Premier League even more captivating. 

Both Shafali Verma and Shikha Pandey are international stars with plenty of World Cup experience. You can even search for their viral moments on the field, such as the “Ball of the Century.” These stories will surely add to the excitement of the Women’s Premier League.

While the average cricket-watching and news-reading fans may be familiar with these players, the Women’s Premier League will elevate them to a whole new level of recognition. If the WPL can capture even a fraction of the market share that the IPL enjoys, it will go a long way toward making women’s cricket more popular and accepted. 

Besides the internationals, the Women’s Premier League also highlights some of the most inspiring stories from other female cricketers. For example, Sonam Yadav and Shabnam Shakil are both 15-year-old cricketers who have already won a World Cup. Additionally, Jasia Akhtar is a 34-year-old domestic player from Kashmir who plays for Rajasthan. These stories and more will be featured during the Women’s Premier League. Sneha Deepthi is a mother to a toddler who still actively plays cricket – a rare feat in India. 

The Women’s Premier League is an unprecedented opportunity for female cricketers in India. With the support of franchise owners, sponsors, and the media, these players now have the platform to showcase their talents and reach a wider audience. This is a milestone moment for the sport, and it will be exciting to see this league’s impact on the game. 

The Women’s Premier League will be a momentous occasion for female cricketers in India. Through this league, they can now reach a wider audience, demonstrate their skills and talent, and prove that women’s cricket is an integral part of the sport. With daily prime-time matches, regular coverage, viral videos, and content generation on social media, this league has the potential to impact the cricket scene. 

The stage is set, and the spotlight is here – the Women’s Premier League is about to take on the world. Smriti Mandhana believes.

Page 2: WPL 2023: Five players who might earn more than INR 5 crore

Creator: Pat Elmont – ECB | Credit: ECB via Getty Images Copyright: 2021 ECB

Indian superstar Smriti Mandhana is sure that WPL is going to change the fortune of Women’s cricket. This is what she has to say about the Indian tournament in her recent interview. 

“I feel women’s cricket is on the verge of going to the next level. I wouldn’t compare it with men’s cricket or that sort, but to be involved from the time it (sport) is growing — I feel that is the USP of women’s cricket because everyone can say we were part of the journey that got women’s cricket higher. I would say the 1983 World Cup victory changed men’s cricket. Whoever was cheering for them will be thinking, ‘‘we supported men’s cricket to grow, to reach this level’. Women’s cricket is at the stage where people can connect more with us because we are still growing; we want to grow to a level where everyone knows us. And whoever supports women’s cricket will get involved in this journey,” 

“It is still very raw (women’s game). There is more swing, I would say, and there’s more timing involved than power. As women cricketers, we always wished this happened to us,” she said with a chuckle. “(But) I wouldn’t say I am in the spotlight… I just feel normal, chilling, enjoying playing cricket.” 

harmanpreet kaur

Harmanpreet’s MI records 4th straight win in the WPL

Harmanpreet’s Kaur-led Mumbai Indians has comfortably beaten UP Warriorz by eight wickets in their group-stage match yesterday. The Women in Blue and Gold chased down UP Warriorz’s target of 160 runs inside 18 overs to record their fourth straight win in the Women’s Premier League.

Batting first, the UP Warriorz posted a competitive score of 159 for the loss of 8 wickets on the back of skipper Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath’s half-centuries. For Mumbai Indians, Saika Ishaque was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets for 33 runs in her full quota of 4 overs.

Coming to the chase, the Mumbai Indians had a strong start posting 58 runs in the first seven overs. However, they seemed to lose the plot a bit in the middle overs as the table toppers lost two wickets in successive overs. But the calm and composed gameplay of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt helped the Women in Blue and Gold effortlessly chase down the target. Harmanpreet scored an excellent half-century off 33 balls, while Sciver-Brunt played her part with fantastic 45-run innings off 31 balls.

With this win, the Mumbai Indians have earned a victory against all the other four teams in the Women’s Premier League. They are well-settled and look like a strong contender to lift the WPL trophy.

Top 5 overseas players who will excel at WPL

5 overseas players who will do great at the WPL

The Women’s Premier League’s inaugural season has begun on Saturday, March 4. Last month in Mumbai, the first-ever WPL Auction occurred, and Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive player, signing with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for ₹3.4 crores. Additionally, Ashleigh Gardner was chosen by Gujarat Giants (GG) for ₹3.2 crores. 

Many of the players participating in the tournament recently took part in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, where Australia won their sixth title as they defeated hosts South Africa. England’s Natalie Sciver will be representing Mumbai Indians in WPL, who purchased her for ₹3.2 crores in a bidding war. Jemimah Rodrigues, who had a brilliant T20 World Cup, was acquired by Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹2.2 crores. 

The league stage of the Women’s Premier League will see all five franchises—MI, RCB, DC, GG, and UP Warriorz—play four home and four away matches. At the end of this phase, the top three teams will move on to the next round, with the first-placed team securing a direct spot in the final. Meanwhile, the third and fourth-placed sides will have to play an Eliminator match to determine who will qualify for the final. 

5 overseas players who will do great at the WPL 

Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals) 

'We'll be ready to go' – Lanning on 2021 World Cup preparations

Creator: Matthew Lewis | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2019 Getty Images

Meg Lanning is currently the leader of the Australian T20 team and has led them to their sixth title. She is ranked fourth on the ICC T20I Batting Rankings and generally bats at No. 3, providing stability and aggression at the crease. With her ability to bat anywhere, she will be a key asset for the Delhi Capitals. Her experience as a five-time World Cup-winning captain should be invaluable during the Women’s Premier League

Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants) 

Ashleigh Gardner's T20 World Cup-inspired piece of art

Creator: Cameron Spencer | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2020 Getty Images

Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner is currently the No. 1 T20I all-rounder in the world and was one of the joint most expensive overseas players at the WPL auction. She recently earned the title of “Player of the Tournament” at the Women’s T20 World Cup, scoring 110 runs and taking ten wickets during the tournament. Her prowess as an aggressive middle-order batter and off-break bowler makes her a formidable force for the Gujarat Giants.

Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Ellyse Perry named ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade | Sydney Sixers - BBL

Creator: Hanna Lassen Copyright: 2020 Getty Images

Ellyse Perry is currently ranked No. 9 on the T20 all-Rounder Rankings and has been an essential part of the Australian team. She has scored 1535 T20I runs at a solid average and has taken 122 wickets. Her experience, wicket-taking ability, and formidable batting skills will be a major asset to the Royal Challengers Bangalore lineup. 

Natalie Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) 

Sciver-Brunt lands biggest payday in English women's cricket

Creator: Ryan Hiscott | Credit: Getty Images Copyright: 2022 Getty Images

Natalie Sciver-Brunt is an important addition to the top order of Mumbai Indians. She is currently ranked No. 10 as a T20 batter and No. 5 as a T20 all-rounder, making her the most expensive purchase for MI in the auction. With her exceptional batting skills and medium-pace bowling, she will be a formidable asset to the team.

Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz) 

Top-ranked Ecclestone to don magenta in WBBL debut. | cricket.com.au

Creator: James Chance Copyright: 2021 Getty Images

Sophie Ecclestone is currently the No. 1 T20 bowler in the world and is renowned for her precise and economical slow left-arm spin. She was the highest wicket-taker at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, taking 11 wickets. As the most expensive overseas buy for the UP Warriorz, she will be a valuable addition to the team—not only for her bowling but also for her long-hitting abilities. 

Sophia Dunkley smashes the fastest fifty of WPL

Sophia Dunkley smashes the fastest fifty of WPL

Gujarat Giants’ Sophia Dunkley has smashed the fastest fifty in the Women’s Premier League. The right-handed batter fired an 18-ball fifty against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The England batter went hammer and tongs against RCB’s Preeti Bose as she slammed her for 4,6,4,4,4 on successive balls to bring her a stunning half-century in the fifth over.

Sophia Dunkley’s blitzkrieg helped Gujarat Giants post a massive 201/7 in their full quota of 20 overs. Royal Challengers Bangalore, in reply, could manage only 190/6 in their 20 overs. Thereby helping Gujarat Giants win their first match of WPL and winning an important two points for the team.

Dunkley’s fifty is the joint-fourth fastest in all recorded women’s T20 competitions in the world. The right-handed batter eventually fell on 65 off just 28 deliveries.

Before Dunkley, the record for the fastest fifty in WPL was with Mumbai Indians’ skipper Harmanpreet Kaur when she notched up a 22-ball half-century in the tournament opener against Gujarat Giants.

Women's IPL

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?

Beth Mooney to lead Gujarat Giants in WPL

Australia’s batter Beth Mooney has been appointed the captain of the Gujarat Giants team for the inaugural Women’s Premier League. Team India’s right-arm orthodox spinner Sneh Rana has been chosen as Mooney’s deputy.

Speaking about the appointment, Mooney said, “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the Adani Gujarat Giants in the historic Women’s Premier League’s inaugural edition in 2023.” She further added, “The squad is keen to get the ball rolling soon and put out an entertaining and effective brand of cricket in the debut season of the WPL. It will be fantastic to have the likes of Sneh as my deputy and Mithali Raj, Rachael Haynes and Nooshin Al Khadeer as pivotal parts of the team.”

This will be Mooney’s first experience at leading a side in an overseas T20 league. However, her record as a batter in the format is exceptional. She has hit 18 half-centuries in the 83 T20 games she has played, scoring 2,350 runs.

India’s Sneh Rana who is appointed as the vice captain of Gujarat Giants. Rana, who is a master of the T20 format has bagged 24 wickets from 25 games with an economy rate of 6.21. “Being the vice-captain of the Gujarat Giants is a huge responsibility and I am keenly looking forward to putting up a great show for the debut edition of the Women’s Premier League,” said Rana.

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) 

Women's IPL

TATA Group bags the title rights for Women’s Premier League

After bagging the men’s IPL title rights, TATA Group has achieved the double. The Indian multinational conglomerate has snapped up the title rights for the inaugural Women’s Premier League.

As per Cricbuzz, Tata Sons, the holding company of the conglomerate, will have the title rights for the first five years, and the products that will be leveraged during the league will be Tata Motors and Tata financial services.

The BCCI had invited bids for the title rights on February 9, days before the inaugural auction. Two weeks later, the Indian cricket board has found their partners in what is a huge boost to the league. The title sponsorship and the broadcast deal with Viacom already make WPL one of the biggest franchise T20 leagues in the cricket fraternity.

The deal was confirmed by Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The cricket administrator said, ” I am delighted to announce the #TataGroup as the title sponsor of the inaugural #WPL. With their support, we’re confident that we can take women’s cricket to the next level.”

The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League will kick off on March 4. The 22-game season will be played across two venues – DY Patil Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. The final will be played on March 26, 5 days before IPL 2023.

Women's IPL

The inaugural WPL auction to be held on February 13

The inaugural auction for the Women’s Premier League will be held on February 13th at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai. The first-of-its-kind auction will see 409 players go under the hammer. Out of those 409, 246 are Indians, and the rest 163 are foreign players.

As per a BCCI statement, “INR 50 Lakhs is the highest reserve price with 24 players choosing to be slotted in the highest bracket. Team India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and India’s Under-19 T20 World Cup-winning captain Shafali Verma are amongst the few Indians who have slotted themselves in the highest bracket.”

The BCCI report further added, “13 overseas players have also slotted themselves under the INR 50 Lakh reserve price with the likes of Ellyse Perry, Sophie Ecclestone, Sophie Devine & Deandra Dottin, to name a few. 30 players are on the auction list with a base price of INR 40 Lakh.”

Each team is allowed to build a squad of a maximum of 18 players, including a maximum of six overseas players. There are five base prices under which the players can register themselves – 50 lakhs INR, 40 lakhs INR, 30 lakhs INR, 20 lakhs INR, and 10 lakhs INR.

The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League is set to be played in Mumbai from 4th – 26th March 2023. A total of 22 matches will be played, with the Brabourne Stadium & D.Y. Patil Stadium playing hosts to the marquee tournament.

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