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Updated 15-Dec-2024 • Published 15-Dec-2024

WPL 2025 auction LIVE: Uncapped Shaikh, Kamalini, Rawat fetch big money

By Shashank Kishore

Overview

Highlights from the auction

Short, not necessarily exciting and dusted in a little over two hours. The active auction time would've been a lot lesser. Gujarat Giants were the most active, DC made a few steal buys and all teams have now assembled squads they believe will help win them WPL 2025. A total of 19 players sold, including five overseas, for a total of INR 9.05 crore.
Here are the top buys of the day:
Simran Shaikh sold to Gujarat Giants for INR 1.90 crore
Deandra Dottin sold to Gujarat Giants for INR 1.70 crore
G Kamalini sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 1.60 crore
Prema Rawat sold to Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 1.20 crore
As you can see, three of the above four players are uncapped and they've fetched a total of INR 4.70 crore, one of them even overtaking the legendary Deandra Dottin. One of the highlights was that no India capped player was sold at the auction today. Only uncapped Indians and capped overseas got bids.
These are the players bought by each of the teams:
Delhi Capitals: N Charani, Nandini Kashyap, Sarah Bryce (Scotland), Niki Prasad
Gujarat Giants: Simran Shaikh, Deandra Dottin (WI), Danielle Gibson (Eng), Prakashika Naik
Mumbai Indians: G Kamalini, Nadine de Klerk (SA), Akshita Maheshwari, Sanskriti Gupta
RCB: Prema Rawat, Joshitha JV, Raghvi Bist, Jagravi Pawar (all uncapped)
UP Warriorz: Alana King (Aus), Arushi Goel, Kranti Goud
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Final round coming up

England fast bowler Lauren Bell unsold
Australia allrounder Heather Graham unsold
Australia legspinner Alana King to UP Warriorz for INR 30 lakh
India allrounder Sneh Rana unsold again
Indian domestic bowler Humaira Kazi unsold
India allrounder Raghvi Bisht to RCB for INR 10 lakh
Jagravi Pawar to RCB for INR 10 lakh
Pratika Rawal unsold
Niki Prasad , India Under-19 captain, goes to DC for INR 10 lakh.
Shipra Giri unsold
Parunika Sisodia unsold
Hani Patel unsold
Akshita Maheshwari sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 20 lakh
England seamer Danielle Gibson sold for INR 30 lakh to Gujarat Giants
Prakashika Naik to Gujarat Giants for INR 10 lakh
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Here's more on Raghvi Bisht

A batter with a strong off-side game, Bist made an impression during India A's one-dayers against Australia A in August in Mackay, scoring three consecutive half-centuries, including a match-winning 53 in the third game. She was rewarded with a maiden India call-up for their home T20Is against West Indies. In domestic cricket, she has been making waves steadily. She was part of Uttarakhand's successful U-19 Women's One-Day campaigns in 2021 and 2022, and was also part of their run to the final in the Senior Women's One-Day Trophy earlier this year. Last month, she smashed a 51-ball 71 in the final of the T20 Challenger Trophy to help her side to the title.
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Accelerated Round-2 in five minutes

Each team will have to nominate two players who will come up for bidding in what should be our final round.
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Welcome back: Mansi Joshi, Lizelle Lee unsold

Former Giants fast bowler. Has an excellent out swinger but very injury prone. Base price of INR 30 lakh. Goes unsold.
South Africa hard-hitting opener Lizelle Lee unsold
New Zealand fast bowler Rosemary Mair unsold
Indian domestic bowler Amisha Bahukhandi unsold
Indian domestic bowler Parnika Sisodia unsold
Indian domestic allrounder Ashwani Kumari unsold. Played for DC in WPL 2024.
Indian domestic wicketkeeper Priyanka Bala unsold. Was part of Mumbai Indians in WPL 2024.
Australia bowler Milly Illingworth unsold
Current India U-19 captain Niki Prasad unsold
Indian domestic bowler Rima Ekka unsold
Indian domestic bowler Arushi Goel to UP Warriorz for INR 10 lakh
Indian domestic allrounder Kranti Goud to UP Warriorz for INR 10 lakh
Indian domestic allrounder Sanskriti Gupta goes to Mumbai Indians for INR 10 lakh
Indian domestic wicketkeeper Shivani Singh unsold
Indian domestic allrounder Joshitha VJ to RCB for INR 10 lakh
Australia allrounder Tess Flintoff unsold
Indian domestic allrounder Tanushree Sarkar unsold
Indian domestic bowler Prakashika Naik unsold
Scotland wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce to Delhi Capitals at INR 10 lakh
Indian domestic bowler Kamalpreet Kour unsold
Indian domestic bowler Shanu Sen unsold
Indian domestic allrounder Anusha Sundaresan unsold
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Giants coach Michael Klinger on Dottin signing:

On Deandra Dottin:
"We were targeting Deandra Dottin and Simran Shaikh. They bring in power and batting at a high strike rate. They can put pressure on the rest of the group for spots in the starting XI. That often creates a winning culture, so I’m really excited for our first two picks.
"Definitely (WBBL form had a massive role). Watched her play us in WBBL. Her power, the way she can change games in few overs with the bat, her speed and accuracy with the ball - she is a multi-dimensional player and that's something we were after. Also, her role in West Indies making the semi-final of the T20 WC, we've seen some fantastic performances that we were after."
On Simran Shaikh:
“We’ve been watching the local competitions closely, the T20s and the Challengers. She stands out in terms of her hitting power and strike rate, and complements the other local Indian players [we’ve got in the squad]. To have someone like her, potentially in our top six-seven, who can hit sixes straightaway, completes us. We were targeting her.”
Meanwhile, here's a look at the players each team has signed so far.
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Steal deal so far: Nandini Kashyap

The DC camp appeared pleasantly surprised at getting her for that price.
An excellent keeper, she'll challenge Taniyaa Bhatia for a place in the XI. In terms of glove work, Bhatia is a clear winner, but if Capitals are looking at an overall package, Nandini could be the real deal.
In the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy in 2024, she scored 247 runs at an average of 41.16 and a strike rate of 125.40 for Uttarakhand. In the Challengers after that, her average was 83, as she was the leading run scorer with 332 runs in just five innings at a strike rate of 137.2
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Who is Prema Rawat?

Picked by RCB for INR 1.2 crore, Rawat is a promising legspinner from Uttarakhand who impressed for Mussoorie Thunders during the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League. She's also known to be an outstanding fielder.
RCB already have in their ranks Asha Sobhana, but her injury may have potentially played a massive hand in the team management looking for another legspinner. They've had to shell out some money for her, but it seemed they were clear they wanted to get her at any cost.
That's RCB's only bid so far.
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Accelerated auction up next

Teams have been asked to nominate five players each among those unsold.
The auction takes a 30-minute break.
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Australia batter Laura Harris unsold

Released by Delhi Capitals, Harris finds no takers
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N Charani to DC

N Charani: DC and MI fight for the 20-year-old as the bid crosses INR 55 lakh. It's currently with the Delhi Capitals.
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G Kamalini: India U-19 opener in fierce bidding war

Mumbai Indians raise the paddle immediately and come in at INR 10 lakh.
Delhi Capitals raise the paddle but MI bounce back. The back-and-forth continues between both teams.
The bid has zoomed to INR 1.6 crore! It's with MI And they get her after a fierce bidding war with Delhi Capitals.
Here's more on G Kamalini:
A promising teenager from Tamil Nadu, Kamalini is primed for an Under-19 World Cup berth in Malaysia early next year. A hard-hitter, she was instrumental in Tamil Nadu winning the U-19 domestic tournament in October, hitting 311 runs in eight matches. She followed that up by top-scoring with 79 in the Under-19 tri-series final for India B against South Africa A. That form earned her a berth in India's squad for the Under-19 Asia Cup next week. Kamalini, who can keep wicket and also bowl spin, trains at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai.
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Prema Rawat to RCB for 1.2 crore

Signed at her base price for INR 10 lakh it seems. As the hammer comes down, DC raise the paddle and the two now are in a bidding war with the bid crossing INR 1.2 crore and it's currently with RCB. And that's the winning bid. She played a key role in Mussoorie Thunders winning the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League.
Sonal Thakur: Unsold
Delhi allrounder Tanisha Singh: unsold
Mumbai allrounder Fatima Jaffer, former MI: unsold
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Raghvi Bisht unsold

After a few rounds of asking, auctioneer Mallika Sagar announces that she is unsold. I'd believe that's just for now. Expect her to be picked up later.
Meanwhile, Seamer S Yashasri, who played for UP Warriorz earlier, goes unsold.
Delhi batter Pratika Rawal: unsold
Ira Jadhav is among the youngest players in the auction at 14. And she finds no takers.
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Nandini Kashyap to DC

Picked in the India squad for the T20Is against West Indies just two days ago, Uttarakhand wicketkeeper Nandini Kashyap has been snapped up by Capitals for her base price of INR 10 lakh. She'll be competing with Taniya Bhatia for the wicketkeeper's slot.
Humeira Kazi, former Mumbai Indian, unsold.
Jagravi Pawar: unsold
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Simran Shaikh to Giants for INR 1.9 crore

DC and GG in a bidding war for the batter. The incremental bid of 5 lakh has taken her price up to INR 1.6 crore and it's with Delhi Capitals. She featured in nine games for the Giants, largely batting if required in the lower order. A best of 11 and 29 runs in all across nine innings. But the Giants have asked for time and take the bid to INR 1.7 crore.
Wow! Capitals go one up, 1.8 crore.
After deep discussion, Giants take her bid up to INR 1.9 crore! And that's the final bid.
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Dottin to Gujarat Giants for INR 1.7 crore

Here comes Deandra Dottin, one of only three players with a reserve price of INR 50 lakh.
UP Warriorz have raised the paddle after a few seconds. Gujarat Giants, who released her after the first season under controversial circumstances, raise the paddle and are battling with the Warriorz. The bid has zoomed to INR 85 lakh and is with the Giants.
Seems quite a tussle this.
The bid crosses the 1 crore mark! After a lot of pondering, Warriorz raise the paddle to take the bid up to 1.2 crore when it seemed like Giants were closing in on their first signing.
Giants say yes! And take it to 1.3 crore. Warriorz go one up, and Giants bounce back to take the bid to INR 1.5 crore. Jeez, some serious heat already first up.
Gujarat Giants have the bid at INR 1.7 crore. And they get her back! What a story. An acrimonious exit followed by an unsold bid and now they have her back.
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Australia seamer Kim Garth unsold

Also played for Ireland.
Most-recently impressed for Australia during their 3-0 ODI whitewash over India just last week.
No interest, goes unsold.
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India & Maharashtra allrounder Tejal Hasabnis

Made her ODI debut against New Zealand in October.
Known to be a steady middle-order batter, but finds no takers for the moment. Expect her to come up again in the accelerated round.
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Unsold list

India wicketkeeper Sushma Verma: Unsold
India batter Shubha Satheesh: Unsold
India allrounder Sneh Rana: Unsold
Australia seamer Lauren Cheatle: Unsold
England allrounder Daniel Gibson: unsold.
Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast: Unsold
Australia legspinner Alana King: Unsold
India batter C Pratyusha: Unsold
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Nadine de Klerk to Mumbai Indians for 30 lakh

Played briefly for RCB this year.
Mumbai Indians come in with the first bid at INR 30 lakh. And it seems like that's the winning bid for the South Africa allrounder, who is currently on the park in a Test match against England in Bloemfontein.
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England seamer Lauren Bell: Unsold

Released by UP Warriorz, Bell joined her captain Heather Knight in withdrawing from this year's WPL to focus on England commitments - they were touring New Zealand at the time. She was also part of the team for the inaugural edition, but couldn’t get a game.
She’s tall, can move the ball both ways and get the ball to lift thanks to her height even on docile surfaces. Broke through in international cricket in early 2023, and had an excellent Ashes series, picking up 14 wickets across the seven Ashes matches that spanned three formats. Those ain’t outstanding numbers, but sometimes it’s not only about the numbers.
UNSOLD
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Darcie Brown: Australia fast bowler

Swing is her forte. Late in-swing into the left-handers, in particular, has been pretty menacing.
In March, Brown was diagnosed with a stress injury to the navicular bone in her let foot, the front foot in her bowling action, throwing a spanner in her off-season plans. Brown’s rehabilitation program meant staying off her feet as much as possible early on, when she was limited to taking just 3000 steps a day, and later 5000.
She returned to action just prior to the T20WC.
No takers, unsold.
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Australia allrounder Heather Graham unsold

Plays for the Perth Scorchers.
An allrounder, who was a late call-up to Australia's T20 WC squad after Alyssa Healy's injury.
No bidders, unsold.
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Maia Boucher comes in next

First time at a WPL auction for her. Hard-hitting top-order bat who has had much of her success so far in international cricket as an opener. She had a massive summer at home earlier this year against New Zealand, where she got to her maiden international century.
She had announced herself on England's successful tour of New Zealand earlier this year that Bouchier established herself at the top of the order, particularly in their five T20Is, where she had scores of 43 not out, 12, 71, 91 and 6 as England claimed the series 4-1.
UNSOLD
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England spinner Sarah Glenn unsold

She comes in with a base price of INR 30 lakh. No takers. Unsold.
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West Indies' Chinelle Henry comes in

She comes with a reserve price of INR 30 lakh.
An allrounder who can hustle batters for pace, she played a key role in West Indies' run to the T20 World Cup semi-final, but she finds no takers.
UNSOLD.
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England captain Heather Knight unsold

No bidders for the England captain who played for RCB in the inaugural edition. She pulled out of the second season to prioritise her England career, as the season coincided with their tour of England.
Heather Knight goes unsold
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Poonam Yadav unsold

A legspinner who in her hey day was a lynchpin in India's attack, she goes unsold with no team showing interest. She was part of the Delhi Capitals for the first two seasons
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Capped Set-1 coming up

Some of the big Indian players in this set first up are Sneh Rana, Tejal Hasabnis, Sushma Verma, Shubha Satheesh & Poonam Yadav. Rana, who led Gujarat Giants in the inaugural edition, has been released remember. Among the overseas stars, we'll have Deandra Dottin, Nadine de Klerk & Heather Knight among others.
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Where are the defending champions placed?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have no overseas slots left, but we've just received news this morning that Sophie Molineux, who was a key member of the title-winning side, has had a fresh injury concern after being ruled out of the women's ODI tour of New Zealand with a knee injury.
She has battled knee issues this summer, missing some WBBL games with the Melbourne Renegades to manage pain in the joint. There's also some doubt over her participation in the Ashes.
RCB will hope they wouldn't need to summon a replacement.
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Will we see the return of 'World Boss'?

Deandra Dottin has two forgettable WPL years.
Picked by Gujarat Giants in 2023, she was pulled out just prior to their opening game. Giants said she was injured, Dottin said she wasn't. What followed was a lot of riff-raff, social media outbursts, clarifications on injury and a whole lot of confusion.
In 2024, Dottin went unsold.
Ahead of 2025, she's now made a superb comeback into international cricket. Having un-retired, she played a key role in West Indies' run to the T20 World Cup semi-final. She scored 120 runs at a strike rate of 162.16, the best for any batter who faced at least 20 balls.
In the WBBL that followed, she played an important role in Melbourne Renegades' title-winning run.
It's likely Mumbai Indians are after an allrounder, because Pooja Vastrakar has an injury cloud and could miss the season. This could potentially pave way for Dottin? Only time will tell.
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WPL 2025 auction: 124 players: 91 Indian, 29 overseas

It's auction time, again!
Hot on the heels of the mega IPL auction comes another, albeit a mini-auction that will help the five WPL franchises to sharpen some edges, or in the case of Gujarat Giants - who have released the maximum number of players - an opportunity to firm up their squad balance.
We're in Bengaluru and proceedings will begin at 3pm IST. There are just 19 slots to fill, so I don't think we will be here for more than two hours. but as always, auction dynamics brings with it a lot of thrill. There will be a fair few Indian players who will possibly receive life-changing bids.
That's the beauty of the auction - the prospect of seeing dreams come to fruition, turning their dreams into a reality and what not.
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