With the five Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchises set to announce their retention lists on Thursday, several high-profile players – including Deepti Sharma, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, and Amelia Kerr – are unlikely to feature. Ahead of the upcoming WPL mega auctions, each team is allowed to retain a maximum of five players.
The retention rules permit up to three Indian capped players, two overseas players, and two Indian uncapped players. If a franchise opts to retain all five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian, as seen in the cases of Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. Additionally, for the first time in WPL history, franchises are allowed to use the Right-to-Match card during the auctions.
Mumbai Indians are expected to release Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, and Yastika Bhatia ahead of the auctions. Cricbuzz reports that they are likely to place their trust instead in young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamlini and all-rounder Amanjot Kaur, alongside the experienced trio of Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
Delhi Capitals, another star-studded side, are likely to release their captain Meg Lanning. Under her leadership, DC reached the finals in all three WPL seasons played so far. The franchise is expected to retain the all-round duo of Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, along with recent World Cup winners Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma. Among the younger players, Niki Prasad, who impressed during her debut season earlier this year, is expected to be retained.
Gujarat Giants, on the other hand, are unlikely to retain any Indian players, though they may choose to keep two of their foreign stars.
UP Warriorz, now under new coach Abhishek Nayar, are aiming for a fresh start, retaining only Shweta Sehrawat, the former Under-19 World Cup winner. All other players, including Alyssa Healy, Deepti Sharma, Ecclestone, and Kranti Gaud, are expected to be released.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), 2024 champions who finished fourth last season, have faced tough retention decisions due to their star-studded squad. They are expected to retain just four players: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil, and Richa Ghosh. Cricbuzz notes that there was some deliberation regarding Ghosh, but she is likely to make the retention list, which will be officially announced later on Thursday (6 November).
| Team | Expected Retentions | Likely Releases |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians | G Kamlini, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt | Amelia Kerr, Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia |
| Delhi Capitals | Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Niki Prasad | Meg Lanning |
| Gujarat Giants | Two foreign players | All Indian players |
| UP Warriorz | Shweta Sehrawat | Alyssa Healy, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Kranti Gaud, others |
| RCB | Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil, Richa Ghosh | Remaining squad members |
This year’s WPL retention lists will shape the strategy for the mega auctions, with teams balancing the retention of experienced stars with opportunities for emerging talent.