Women’s cricket is taking a whole new shape owing to the future expectations and demands of the fans. There was a time when only a counted number of individuals followed the women’s part of cricket, but everything has changed now, whether it’s equal pay or the introduction of the Women’s Premier League, Indian cricket is growing and that too, with a huge boost.
The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League was extremely successful, and the fans came out in huge numbers to support their favourite teams and players.
The second season is poised to be an exciting one as the Home-Away format is in consideration, which will allow fans to watch the game from the nearest stadiums.
The WPL season 2 auctions have happened, as we gear up for season two, which will surely be going to be much bigger than the first one.
Here’s all you need to know about what happened in the Auctions for the second season of the WPL.
The Aussie, Phoebe Litchfield, will be playing for the Gujarat Giants as they roped in the attacking batter for a whopping sum of INR 1 Crore. Litchfield is an attacking batter and plays in the middle or lower middle order, proving the much-needed push at the backend of the innings. In her three WT20I innings, she has already scored 99 runs, including one half-century. Undoubtedly, she will be a force in Gujarat’s batting line-up in the coming season.
Danni Wyatt, who went unsold during the last Auctions, will be playing UP Warriorz as they got her for just INR 30 Lakhs. She will provide the needed experience to the Warriorz with her batting at the top.
Annabel Sutherland, one of the most widely noted all rounders in the present-day game from Australia bagged the highest amount for this auction.
The Delhi Capitals went all in to rope her in for INR 2 Crores. In the warfare of buying the extremely talented all-rounder, DC, as they are often addressed, beat MI and bought one of Australia’s glowing young talents for a huge sum.
With over 600 international runs and 38 wickets, she provides the balance every team needs in T20 cricket.
Mumbai Indians added Shabnim Ismail for a whopping sum of INR 1.50 Crores who is one of the most experienced cricketers in the world. The Protea Fire will provide the experience with her fast bowling skills. With 317 international wickets, Ismail will make sure that MI defend their title in the coming season.
Kashvee Gautam, one of the most talented uncapped players, to play for Gujarat Giants as they spent a humongous amount of INR 2 Crore making her the joint highest buy of the Auctions. She rose to popularity when she led the under-19 Chandigarh team and picked a 10-wicket haul in the 50-over format.
Thanks to her sheer talent, the Gujarat stable will not regret spending this much on her.
Vrinda Dinesh is another expensive buy and also another uncapped Indian player. UP Warriorz grabbed her services for a huge sum of INR 1.3 Crores after a bidding war.
Her excellent knock of 36 off just 29 on a sluggish surface, in a low-scoring game and that too in the final of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup against Hong Kong helps her achieve her maiden WPL contract.
These were the major signings of the WPL season 2024.
But there are upsets as well for many deserving players were not been able to seal a place for themselves as one found out in the WPL season 2 auctions. However, that’s despite exceptional performances as they went unsold.
Chamari Athapaththu, who besides being the captain of the Sri Lankan team, is a legend of the game, went unsold.
Another baffling reality? How else would one put it?
Here’s a case in point. Despite scoring over 550 runs in the recently concluded Women’s Big Bash League, Chamari, who is the most determined and ferocious talent to have ever wielded the bat for Sri Lanka, went unsold.
Priya Puniya also went unsold despite her efforts in the previous season and recent performances.
Deandra Dottin, a charismatic Caribbean all-rounder, the only Windies Women’s cricketer with 2 T20I tons to her name, and someone who was a part of Gujarat Giants in the previous season (but was ruled out due to injury), will have to wait for another year to take part in the WPL.
Tara Norris, who picked up a fifer dismantling the RCB’s batting line-up in the previous season also went unsold this time. Was that a shocker? One wouldn’t argue with that line of thought.
Amanda Jade Wellington, the star of the recently concluded WBBL, could not find any bidders for herself in the Auctions despite helping Adelaide Strikers lift the WBBL trophy with her exceptional performances.
Kim Garth (formerly, an Ireland national cricketer and presently, with Australia), Amy Jones, Sushma Verma (former India national), Devika Vaidya, Poonam Raut, Alana King, Bess Heath, Tammy Beaumont, and Millie Illingworth happen to be the other notable talents, who rather surprisingly couldn’t secure a place for themselves in the WPL season 2 auctions for the 2024 edition.
The WPL season 2 auctions brought to light several uncapped players whose careers deserve that big push. Here are a few of them:
Fatima Jaffer, Poonam Khemnar, S. Sajana, Amandeep Kaur, Saima Thakor, Priya Mishra, Aparna Mondal, Trisha Poojitha, Mannat Kashyap Ashwani Kumari, Tarannum Pathan, Shubha Sateesh, and Keerthana Balakrishnan
These talents found themselves in the teams and will gain nothing but a huge amount of experience with the upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League.