Who will be the most expensive Indian players at the WPL Auctions?

The player auctions for the inaugural edition of the sister league of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Women's Premier League, or WPL, will be held on Monday.

Who, What, When and Where?

A total of 409 players will be a part of the auction, which is set to be held tomorrow, February 13, at the Jio World Convention Center at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai. Out of these, 246 are from India and 163 are overseas players (including 8 from associate nations).

The five-team squads can have 15–18 players with up to six overseas players, totaling a maximum of 90 slots. The auction purse for each franchise is set at INR 12 crore. And a total of 24 players, including 10 Indians, are listed in the top bracket with the highest base price.

Who could be the biggest Indian buys?

Smriti Mandhana

During the auction, the Indian vice-captain will undoubtedly be one of the most sought-after cricketers. She is currently ranked third in the Women's T20I Player Rankings with a rating of 722. She is Team India's highest-ranked batter and is only behind Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney globally.

Harmanpreet Kaur

Teams would pay top dollar for Indian captain and all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur. She is 11th on the batting rankings, has proved her mettle over the years, and brings in an aspect of leadership that the franchises are currently on the lookout for.

Shafali Verma

Shafali Verma would be highly coveted after leading the Indian side to victory at the U-19 World Cup recently. She is ranked 8th on the batters' list globally, and is now Team India's 2nd highest-ranked batsman. Her batting abilities and captaincy will put her on the radar of franchises.

Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma, the left-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler who is currently ranked second on the T20I All-Rounder list, would be a big buy. Her records, stats, and performances speak for themselves, and the WPL might be yet another avenue for her to prove her mettle on the field.

Renuka Singh

Having made her debut in the format the latest among the names here, Renuka Singh Thakur is rated 8th on the T20I Bowling Rankings. She has proven her game and would be sought after by the franchisees.