WPL auction: Hefty deals expected for Deepti, Gaud, Charani

Big international names up for grabs include retired Australia captain Meg Lanning, current Australia skipper Alyssa Healy and South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt.

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Deepti Sharma

IMAGE: Deepti Sharma, player of the tournament in India’s triumphant women's World Cup campaign, is likely to fetch a good deal at the Women’s Premier League auction, in Delhi, on Thursday. Photograph: BCCI

Leading international cricketers, including Laura Wolvaardt and India's World Cup hero Deepti Sharma, will go under the hammer at the Women’s Premier League auction in Delhi on Thursday. Bidding wars are also expected for homegrown Kranti Gaud and Shree Charani.

A total of 277 players -- 194 Indian and 83 overseas -- will be part of the first-ever mega auction as five teams look to fill a maximum of 73 slots, which includes 50 Indians and 23 overseas.

The minimum squad size is 15, and the upper limit is 18.

Fresh from their historic ODI World Cup triumph, Indian players will be in high demand. Player of the tournament Deepti Sharma, who was released by UP Warriorz soon after the World Cup final, is likely to fetch a good deal.

It won't be surprising if young guns like Kranti and Charani match Deepti's paycheck, having proved themselves in India's triumphant campaign at the ICC event.

Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh and Sneh Rana are also part of the auction.

The big international names up for grabs include retired Australian captain Meg Lanning, current Australia skipper Alyssa Healy, leading England spinner Sophie Ecclestone, New Zealand veteran Sophie Devine, her compatriot Amelia Kerr and South Africa captain Wolvaardt.

Wolvaardt was in sublime form in the ODI World Cup, racking up hundreds in the semi-final against England and the final against eventual winners India.

Having retired from international cricket in 2023, Lanning is in red hot batting form in the WBBL and that will be considered by multiple teams on the auction table.

Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield is a star in the making and franchises are expected to go after her.

Having retained just one player, UP Warriorz have the maximum purse -- 14.5 crore -- going into the auction while Delhi Capitals have the least money -- 5.70 crore.

Four associate players -- Theertha Satish and Esha Oza (both UAE), Tara Norris (USA) and Thipatcha Putthawong (Thailand) are also part of the auction list.

The tournament is expected to begin on January 7.