Ahead of the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) mini auction, which is scheduled to be held on 9 December in Mumbai, the five franchises – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants announced the players they have retained and released.
Atotal of 165 players have registered for the WPL auction, with 105 of them being Indians. Of the 61 overseas players, 15 players are from associate nations, highlighting a diverse mix in the list of names.
On that same list are many youngsters with enormous potential, who can spark bidding wars, as franchises look to secure not only their immediate future, but also lay a foundation for the years to come.
Ahead of the 2024 WPL auction, let us have a look at six young players who could be the pick of the bidders:
1. Phoebe Litchfield (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield’s reputation has been built on exquisite technique, timing and her ability to score all around the ground. The 20-year-old has broken a couple of records and has already established herself in a star-studded Australian team.
In October of this year, Litchfield achieved the record for the fastest fifty in a women's T20I in 18 balls, equalising Sophie Devine's previous best.
With 279 runs scored at a strike rate of 132.85 for the Northern Superchargers, the left-handed batter concluded The Hundred as the team's third highest scorer. Litchfield scored an undefeated 78 runs off of 92 balls in her first ODI. For the women in yellow in ODIs, she also has a perfect score of 106 not out.
Given her meteoric rise in both T20 and ODI circuit, the young Australian will be a terrific value at the upcoming auction.
2. Danielle Gibson (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
England’s fast-bowling all-rounder, Danielle Gibson made her international debut earlier this year and has played six T20Is so far. She made it to the T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa as a member of the travelling reserves as well.
The seam-bowling all-rounder Gibson made her Ashes debut during the summer and hit the game-winning runs at Lord's to secure the T20I series against Australia. In the recently concluded WBBL, the Strikers’ number six batter scored a total of 105 runs in eight matches and scalped 8 wickets in nine games.
On 4 December, the 22-year-old was included in the latest central contract list for 2023-24 by the England Cricket Board (ECB). “She is in great form at regional level and has the potential to impact the game whenever she is called upon,” head coach John Lewis would say.
With her consistent performance and ascent in the English arena, Gibson is likely to be a pick of the bidders at the auction.
3. Marufa Akter (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
Bangladesh’s pacer Marufa made her debut back in 2022 and the speedster has taken 12 wickets from 13 T20I.
Her first big break came in January, during the first-ever Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup, when she was a member of the Bangladesh U-19 team that upset the Australia U19s. A month later, she struck during the powerplay against the senior Australian team at the Women's T20 World Cup, taking out Beth Mooney.
Against India in July, the 18-year-old was the standout player in Bangladesh's home series. She took four wickets in the first ODI to help the hosts win and she ended the series as the leading wicket-taker. Smriti Mandhana, the vice captain of India, was one of her victims.
4. Fran Jonas (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
Fran Jonas, a 19-year-old from New Zealand, has been making notable progress in fending off the batters who have faced her in the game's shortest format.
In July 2022, the left-arm orthodox Kiwi player made her international T20 debut against South Africa. Jonas was picked to play in the 2022 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup for New Zealand at just 17 years of age.
Moreover, she assisted New Zealand in winning a historic bronze medal in Birmingham, England during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In the third-place playoff match, Jonas took two for 22 from her four overs against the hosts, securing an eight-wicket victory.
In the last four months, the young Kiwi has scalped a total of 9 wickets in as many matches. As a seasoned campaigner, Jonas stands out with her left-arm orthodox spin. She could be an invaluable member of her team and hence bidders would be eying her.
5. Orla Prendergast (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
Ireland’s Orla Prendergast is just 21 years of age, but has played a significant amount of cricket already, including 42 T20s. She emerged from her first T20 World Cup as one of the standout young players from the tournament. She was the only Ireland player to score a half-century; she took three wickets in four matches.
No Ireland player has scored more runs at a higher strike rate in T20Is than Prendergast (589 runs at 123). Already in her young career, she has the second-most fifties in the format for her country. In the history of women’s T20Is, only Ash Gardner has scored more runs at a higher strike rate at present.
Prendergast also scored a magnificent century on debut to propel Western Storm to a convincing six-wicket Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy victory over Thunder at Sophia Gardens.
With immense talent and her all-round abilities, Prendergast will be a great addition to any WPL team.
6. Mannat Kashyap (Base Price – Rs 30 Lakh)
19-year-old Kashyap was part of the Under-19 T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad, but was unfortunate to not find a bidder in the debut WPL season. This year, the youngster has been put in the auction pool at a base price of Rs 10 Lakhs.
The left-arm spinner from Punjab was a part of the India A squad for three T20 matches against England A in Mumbai where she picked two wickets. She also represented India in the Emerging Asia Cup.
Given her recent exploits, the 20-year-old is very likely to be a pick of the bidders.
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