With the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season just around the corner, franchises have begun to streamline their squads by releasing a number of high-profile players ahead of the upcoming auction, scheduled to take place in early December. The release of several key figures has raised eyebrows, with some of the biggest names in women’s cricket now available to the highest bidder.
Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, Knight, and Tahuhu Among Notable Releases
Among the most high-profile releases are Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, Heather Knight, and Lea Tahuhu. These veteran players, who have represented their respective national teams at the highest level, will be hoping for a fresh start with new teams as franchises look to bolster their squads with a combination of established stars and emerging talents.
Delhi Capitals
The biggest name among those released by Delhi Capitals is legspinner Poonam Yadav, a stalwart of the Indian team in previous years. Poonam, who has not played international cricket since March 2022, was also left out of DC’s playing XI in the 2024 season. Along with Poonam, the Capitals have released Australian power-hitter Laura Harris and uncapped Indian players Aparna Mondal and Ashwini Kumari.
Despite these departures, Delhi has retained a strong core of international stars, including Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and Marizanne Kapp, and will have INR 2.5 crore remaining in their purse for the auction.
Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants, who have struggled to make a mark in the competition so far, have released a number of players, including former captain Sneh Rana, New Zealand’s Lea Tahuhu, and Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce. Rana, who led the team in the inaugural season, had a challenging stint, contributing little with both bat and ball. Tahuhu, despite her experience, was not a regular in Gujarat’s XI in 2024, playing just two matches.
In addition to Rana and Tahuhu, the Giants have also let go of players like Veda Krishnamurthy, Lauren Cheatle, and Tarannum Pathan. With a purse of INR 4.4 crore—the largest among all franchises—Gujarat will have significant room to make strategic signings.
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians, traditionally one of the strongest sides in the WPL, have made a few changes ahead of the 2025 season. The franchise has retained its key international players, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, and Shabnim Ismail. However, they have parted ways with fast bowler Issy Wong, the only overseas player released by Mumbai. Wong, who played a key role in Mumbai’s title-winning 2023 season, was not retained for the upcoming season, alongside local players Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, and Priyanka Bala.
Mumbai will have INR 2.65 crore left in their purse and four slots to fill in the auction.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore have made several changes to their squad, releasing England captain Heather Knight, who had opted out of the 2024 season due to international duties. RCB has also let go of South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk, who had replaced Knight in the previous season, along with a number of Indian players including Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, and Indrani Roy.
RCB retains a core group of players, including Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Richa Ghosh, and will go into the auction with INR 3.25 crore and four available slots.
UP Warriorz
UP Warriorz, who narrowly missed out on a spot in the playoffs in 2024, have made significant changes to their squad, releasing players like legspinner Parshavi Chopra, wicketkeeper Laxmi Yadav, and seamer S Yashasri. The franchise will have INR 3.90 crore remaining in their purse, with three slots available for new signings.
Increased Purse for WPL 2025
One of the major changes ahead of the 2025 season is the increase in the auction purse. The teams will have INR 15 crore to spend, up from INR 13.5 crore last season, providing them with more flexibility to build a competitive squad for the upcoming campaign.
As the WPL enters its third season, the release of these prominent players signals an exciting phase in the competition, with teams looking to strengthen their squads and build for the future. The auction in December promises to be a highly anticipated event, with numerous top-tier players set to be up for grabs, and the balance of power in the WPL potentially shifting as teams adjust their line-ups.
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Franchise Overview
Delhi Capitals
– Released: Poonam Yadav, Laura Harris, Aparna Mondal, Ashwini Kumari
– Purse Remaining: INR 2.5 crore
– Slots Remaining: 4
Gujarat Giants
– Released: Sneh Rana, Lea Tahuhu, Kathryn Bryce, Veda Krishnamurthy, Lauren Cheatle, Mannat Kashyap, Tarannum Pathan
– Purse Remaining: INR 4.4 crore
– Slots Remaining: 4
Mumbai Indians
– Released: Issy Wong, Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala
– Purse Remaining: INR 2.65 crore
– Slots Remaining: 4
Royal Challengers Bangalore
– Released: Heather Knight, Nadine de Klerk, Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Simran Bahadur, Shraddha Pokharkar
– Purse Remaining: INR 3.25 crore
– Slots Remaining: 4
UP Warriorz
– Released: Parshavi Chopra, Laxmi Yadav, S Yashasri, Lauren Bell
– Purse Remaining: INR 3.90 crore
– Slots Remaining: 3
As the auction draws closer, all eyes will be on how teams use their enhanced purse and available slots to build a squad capable of challenging for the 2025 title.
