Thu Nov 07 15:40:00 UTC 2024: ## WPL Auction Set for December: RCB Leads in Player Releases, Teams Retain Core Squads

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is gearing up for its third season, with teams already beginning to shape their rosters. The most significant changes have come from the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who released a whopping six players, the highest number among the five WPL teams. This follows the retention window and precedes the upcoming mini-auction, scheduled for early December.

Notable players released by RCB include South African batter Nadine de Klerk, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, and off-spin all-rounder Sneh Rana. England captain Heather Knight, who withdrew from the 2024 season due to international commitments, was also released.

While RCB made the most significant changes, all teams have chosen to retain their core players, mirroring the trend seen in the Indian Premier League. This has resulted in a total of 71 players, including 25 overseas players, being retained across the five teams.

The upcoming auction will feature a total purse of ₹16.7 crore, with teams able to fill a maximum of 19 slots, 5 of them overseas. The purse for each team has increased from ₹13.5 crore to ₹15 crore this year. Delhi Capitals (DC), the runners-up in both seasons, will have the smallest purse at ₹2.5 crore.

Other notable releases include:

* **Mumbai Indians (MI):** Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala, and England pacer Issy Wong.
* **UP Warriorz (UPW):** Bowling all-rounder Parshavi Chopra, uncapped Laxmi Yadav, medium-pacer S Yashasri, and England pacer Lauren Bell.
* **Gujarat Giants (GG):** Mannat Kashyap, Veda Krishnamurthy, Tarannum Pathan, and Lauren Cheatle.

The auction promises to be an exciting event as teams look to fill their roster gaps and bolster their squads for the upcoming season.

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