RCB Secures Uncapped All-Rounder Prema Rawat for Rs 1.2 Crores in WPL Auction
Bengaluru (Karnataka), December 15: In an exciting development at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) mini-auction held in Bengaluru on Sunday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully acquired the services of uncapped all-rounder Prema Rawat for Rs 1.2 crores. The defending champions faced stiff competition in the bidding war, with Delhi Capitals also vying for her, but it was RCB that clinched the deal.
Prema Rawat, who played a pivotal role in Mussoorie Thunders’ victory in the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League, caught the attention of the franchises with her impressive performance, taking four wickets in three matches. This performance further enhanced her reputation, making her a valuable asset in the WPL.
Along with Prema, 20-year-old spinner N Charani was picked up by Delhi Capitals for Rs 55 lakhs. Meanwhile, other players such as Sonal Thakur, Ira Jadhav, Pratika Rawal, S Yashasri, Raghvi Bist, and Australian batter Laura Harris remained unsold during the auction.
In a twist of fate, RCB emerged as the champions of WPL 2024, defeating Delhi Capitals in the final. Prior to the auction, each of the five participating franchises had already announced their retained players, with a total of 71 players, including 25 overseas stars, being retained to solidify each team’s core lineup for the upcoming season.
For this year’s team-building process, each franchise was allocated a budget of Rs 15 crore, up from Rs 13.5 crore in the previous season. The auction saw top international stars such as England captain Heather Knight, New Zealand’s Lea Tahuhu, and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin set to appear for bidding. Prominent Indian players like Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, and Veda Krishnamurthy were also available for selection during the auction on December 15.
Here is the list of retained and released players for the franchises ahead of the next WPL season:
Delhi Capitals (DC)
Retained Players: Alice Capsey*, Annabel Sutherland*, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen*, Marizanne Kapp*, Meg Lanning*, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia, and Titas Sadhu.
Released Players: Aparna Mondal, Ashwani Kumari, Laura Harris*, and Poonam Yadav.
Gujarat Giants (GG)
Retained Players: Ashleigh Gardner*, Beth Mooney*, Bharti Fulmali, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Laura Wolvaardt*, Mannat Kashyap, Meghna Singh, Phoebe Litchfield*, Priya Mishra, Sayali Satghare, Shabnam Shakil, and Tanuja Kanwer.
Released Players: Kathryn Bryce*, Lauren Cheatle*, Lea Tahuhu*, Sneh Rana, Tarannum Pathan, Trisha Poojitha, and Veda Krishnamurthy.
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Retained Players: Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr*, Chloe Tryon*, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews*, Jintimani Kalita, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Natalie Sciver*, Pooja Vastrakar, S. Sajana, Saika Ishaque, Shabnim Ismail*, and Yastika Bhatia.
Released Players: Fatima Jaffer, Humairaa Kaazi, Isabelle Wong*, and Priyanka Bala.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Retained Players: Asha Shobana, Dani Wyatt*, Ekta Bisht, Ellyse Perry*, Georgia Wareham*, Kanika Ahuja, Kate Cross*, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, S. Meghana, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine*, and Sophie Molineux*.
Released Players: Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shraddha Pokarkar, Shubha Satheesh, and Simran Bahadur.
UP Warriorz (UPW)
Retained Players: Alyssa Healy*, Anjali Sarvani, Chamari Athapaththu*, Deepti Sharma, Gouher Sultana, Grace Harris*, Kiran Navgire, Poonam Khemnar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone*, Tahlia McGrath*, Uma Chetry, and Vrinda Dinesh.
Released Players: Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, S. Yashasri, and Lauren Bell*.
As the new season of WPL approaches, teams are gearing up to assemble their best squads, with an eye on both experienced international players and emerging Indian talents.
