Much like the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Women’s Premier League (WPL) promises to be an exciting affair with a total of 87 players who will look forward to going in with a renewed spirit when they take on their global counterparts to stake their claim on the elusive WPL 2023 trophy. Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants are set to clash in a blockbuster opening match of the WPL on March 4 at the prestigious DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The cash-rich league has generated an irresistible buzz among cricket fans, with the five franchises being sold for a grand total of INR 4.7 crore. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) broke the bank for Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who became the most expensive player in the history of WPL during the 2023 auction earlier last month. The franchise shelled out a mammoth INR 3.4 crore for Mandhana, who had a base reserve price of INR 50 lakh. With an added element of leadership in her role, one could witness the best out of the southpaw in this edition. Also Read: Women's Premier League 2023: Mandhana to Healy, top 5 players to watch out for Mumbai Indians became the second costliest franchise in the league at INR 912.99 crore, who will expect to emulate the road of glory embarked upon by their men’s counterparts. The Indian talismanic captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been offered the role of a captain leading a powerhouse squad comprising England's Nat Sciver-Brunt and pacer Issy Wong, New Zealand's Amelia Kerr, South Africa's T20 World Cup finalist Chloe Tryon, West Indies' captain Hayley Matthews and Australia's Heather Graham. Gujarat Giants, led by star Australian batter Beth Mooney, consists of known faces in the form of Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, and the experienced Sushma Verma. Besides, they boast of a productive bank of overseas players such as recent T20 World Cup winners from Australia, Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham, West Indies' Deandra Dottin and England's Sophia Dunkley, who will be instrumental in the team’s success.
04 March,2023 11:19 PM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
