WPL 2025: Mini auction to be held on December 15
The Women's Premier League (WPL) has announced its mini auction for the upcoming 2025 season will be held on December 15 in Bengaluru. Each of the five franchises will be armed with a total budget of ₹15 crore, an increase from last year's ₹13.5 crore, to assemble their teams. The auction is expected to feature several high-profile international and Indian cricketers.
Top international stars to feature in WPL 2025 auction
The WPL 2025 mini auction will see top international stars like England captain Heather Knight, New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu, and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin. Star Indian players like all-rounder Sneh Rana, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, and batter Veda Krishnamurthy will also be among the ones to attract potential bids. The event promises to be a competitive bidding process for these talented cricketers.
Franchise budgets and team strategies for WPL 2025
Delhi Capitals, captained by Meg Lanning and 2023 and 2024 runners-up, will head into the auction with the smallest purse of ₹2.5 crore. Meanwhile, Gujarat Giants, who finished last in the first two editions, have a whopping ₹4.4 crore budget to revamp their squad after releasing seven players from their roster. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also have a healthy ₹3.25 crore budget for player acquisitions.
Pre-season trade and future plans for WPL
In the pre-season trade window that ended in early November, England's Danni Wyatt-Hodge was the only player to be transferred. RCB acquired Wyatt-Hodge in an all-cash deal from UP Warriorz (UPW), who finished fourth last season. Despite teams wanting to explore a home-and-away format, the BCCI is looking to continue the caravan model by gradually introducing new venues for future WPL matches.
WPL 2025 tournament schedule and future plans
The third edition of the five-team tournament, WPL 2025, will be held over a three-week window in February-March. From 2026 onwards, according to the new women's Future Tours Programme for the 2025-29 cycle, the tournament will get a new slot in January-February. This shift will allow the tournament to better align with international cricket schedules and enhance player participation in future editions of the WPL.
