By Zainab Shafiq 
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 auction is set for December 15 in Bengaluru, marking another exciting chapter for the tournament. The five franchises will have an increased budget of ₹15 crore each, compared to ₹13.5 crore last year, to build their squads.
Top international stars like England captain Heather Knight, New Zealand pacer Lea Tahuhu, and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin are expected to headline the bidding. From India, prominent players such as Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, and Veda Krishnamurthy will aim to attract significant interest from the franchises.
Delhi Capitals, who have finished as runners-up in the last two seasons under Meg Lanning’s leadership, enter the auction with the smallest purse of ₹2.5 crore. On the other hand, Gujarat Giants, after back-to-back bottom finishes in the league, hold the largest budget of ₹4.4 crore, releasing seven players in a bid to revamp their roster.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also released seven players, including Heather Knight, who had skipped the 2024 season due to international duties. With a purse of ₹3.25 crore, RCB will focus on strengthening their squad led by Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine.
One major pre-auction move was the trade of England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge to RCB from UP Warriorz (UPW) in an all-cash deal. Wyatt-Hodge, who didn’t feature for UPW last season, will aim to make an impact with her new team.
The tournament, scheduled for February-March 2025, is expected to span three weeks. While the BCCI continues to implement the caravan model with limited venues, teams are urging a shift toward a home-and-away format for greater fan engagement.
Starting in 2026, the WPL will move to a January-February window, as per the updated Future Tours Programme for 2025-29, promising more opportunities for players and expanded global reach for the league.
The auction is expected to reshape team dynamics and set the stage for another thrilling season of WPL cricket.
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