Women's Premier League: 5 Indian Players Who Are Expected To Attract Expensive Bids In WPL Auction

After the announcement of the inaugural season of the Women's Premier League, the preparations have begun with utmost excitement. The teams for the WPL were established on January 25th, as five teams were sold to Capri Global Holdings Pvt. Ltd (Lucknow), JSW GMR Cricket Pvt. Ltd (Delhi), Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd (Bangalore), Indiawin Sports Pvt. Ltd (Mumbai) and Adani Sportsline Pvt. Ltd (Ahmedabad). 

While the tournament is rumoured to be played from March 4th to March 24th, the player auction for the same is likely to be held on February 11th or 13th. The franchises would look to go all out in the auction to build their most desirable team for the inaugural edition of the WPL. 

Here are 5 Indian players who might attract expensive bids in the upcoming WPL Auction. 

5. Renuka Singh Thakur

Renuka Thakur has slowly risen to be India's premier pacer. The 26-year-old pacer has played 7 ODIs and has grabbed 18 wickets at a maginificent economy of 4.62. In T20Is, Renuka has registered 24 wickets in 26 matches. 

4. Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur has been a pillar of Indian cricket, leading the team from the front. The 33-year-old Indian skipper has shown explosive batting skills and has at times thrashed bowlers seemingly without effort. In 146 T20Is, Harmanpreet has registered 2,940 runs to her name with a century and nine half-centuries for team India. Harmanpreet has also managed 32 wickets in these T20Is, and what adds more to her value is her captaincy skills. Kaur is expected to lead a side in WPL and consequently, all but sure to grab big bids in the WPL Auction. 

3. Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is one of the most reputed all-rounders in the Indian women's team. The 25-year-old has been efficient with her bowling, executing excellent lengths and providing crucial wickets. Deepti has also played as a floater in the middle order with the bat and has played useful knocks at times for her team. Deepti has played 87 T20Is for India and has scored 914 runs at a strike rate of 106.52 while grabbing 96 wickets at an economy of 6.08. 

2. Shafali Verma

19-year-old explosive opener Shafali Verma has already made a name for herself with her explosive batting against top bowling attacks of the world. The right-handed batter recently led U19 women's Indian team to a title win in the inaugural U19 Women's T20 World Cup. In T20Is, Shafali has played 51 T20Is for India where she has smashed 1,231 runs at a strike rate of 134.53. 

1. Smriti Mandhana

Also Read: Cricket Tales

Smriti Mandhana is an absolute superstar of the Indian women's team and has been their most consistent match-winner. The 26-year-old left-handed opener has played 108 T20Is and has accumulated 2,651 runs at a strike rate of 123.13. Mandhana has as many as twenty 50+ scores in T20Is and will most probably end up as the most expensive Indian player in the upcoming WPL Auction.