WPL 2025 Retention: Full list of retained and released players

As the countdown begins for the 2025 season of the Women's Premier League (WPL), franchises made strategic moves to retaining select players on the retention deadline-day on Thursday.

With the mini-auction on the horizon, teams are carefully shaping their rosters, ensuring they hold onto their best performers while also making room for fresh talent.

A total of 71 players have been retained, including 25 international stars, solidifying the core squad for each franchise ahead of the upcoming tournament.

Key retentions across the league

The retention exercise saw franchises maintaining a blend of established international stars and homegrown talent, with a focus on strengthening their competitive balance for the upcoming season.

Franchises like Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have opted to retain their strongest lineups, keeping their stars with them for another season.

Meanwhile, others have strategically retained a mix of both seasoned and emerging players to ensure depth in all areas.

RCB, led by captain Smriti Mandhana, has kept their star-studded squad largely intact.

This includes some of the biggest names in international women’s cricket, such as Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Sophie Molineux, along with key Indian players like Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Singh Thakur.

Note: * Indicates overseas players

Mumbai Indians, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, has also maintained a formidable squad with the likes of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, and Amelia Kerr being retained.

The franchises and their retentions

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

RCB has retained 14 players, including Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Ellyse Perry, with a focus on building around a mix of international experience and local talent.

The team, however, has made the bold decision to release Heather Knight, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, and several others as they look to fine-tune their lineup for the upcoming season.

Retained Players: Asha Shobana, Dani Wyatt*, Ekta Bisht, Ellyse Perry*, Georgia Wareham*, Kanika Ahuja, Kate Cross*, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, S. Meghana, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine*, and Sophie Molineux*.

Released Players: Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Nadine de Klerk, Shubha Satheesh, Shraddha Pokarkar, Simran Bahadur, Heather Knight

Remaining Slots: 4

Purse Remaining: ₹3.25 Crore

Mumbai Indians (MI)

MI has retained a strong core, including Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, and Chloe Tryon. The team is poised to continue its dominance in the league, even as they release a few players like Issy Wong and Fatima Jaffer. The squad remains heavy on international experience, with a healthy mix of Indian talent.

Retained Players: Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr*, Chloe Tryon*, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews*, Jintimani Kalita, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Natalie Sciver*, Pooja Vastrakar, S. Sajana, Saika Ishaque, Shabnim Ismail*, and Yastika Bhatia.

Released: Issy Wong, Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala

Remaining Slots: 4

Purse Remaining: ₹2.65 Crore

Delhi Capitals (DC)

Delhi Capitals retained their key players, including Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, and Marizanne Kapp, aiming to build around their explosive batting and all-rounders. The team has released veteran Poonam Yadav and other players like Laura Harris and Ashwani Kumari to free up space for fresh talent.

Retained Players: Alice Capsey*, Annabel Sutherland*, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen*, Marizanne Kapp*, Meg Lanning*, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia, and Titas Sadhu.

Released: Laura Harris, Poonam Yadav, Ashwani Kumari, Aparna Mondal

Remaining Slots: 4

Purse Remaining: ₹2.50 Crore

UP Warriorz

UP Warriorz has made several key changes, retaining Alyssa Healy, Deepti Sharma, and Sophie Ecclestone. However, they have parted ways with players like Laxmi Yadav and Parshavi Chopra, as well as trading Danni Wyatt-Hodge to RCB. With the most remaining purse, they are in a strong position to add new talent during the auction.

Retained Players: Alyssa Healy*, Anjali Sarvani, Chamari Athapaththu*, Deepti Sharma, Gouher Sultana, Grace Harris*, Kiran Navgire, Poonam Khemnar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone*, Tahlia McGrath*, Uma Chetry, and Vrinda Dinesh.

Released: Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Lauren Bell, S Yashasri, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (traded to RCB)

Remaining Slots: 3

Purse Remaining: ₹3.90 Crore

Gujarat Giants (GG)

Gujarat Giants have opted to retain a core of talented players, including Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, and Harleen Deol. Despite the release of prominent players like Sneh Rana and Lea Tahuhu, Gujarat still maintains a solid lineup, with a good purse remaining to strengthen the team at the mini-auction.

Retained Players: Ashleigh Gardner*, Beth Mooney*, Bharti Fulmali, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Laura Wolvaardt*, Mannat Kashyap, Meghna Singh, Phoebe Litchfield*, Priya Mishra, Sayali Satghare, Shabnam Shakil, and Tanuja Kanwer.

Released: Sneh Rana, Lea Tahuhu, Kathryn Bryce, Trisha Poojitha, Tarannum Pathan, Veda Krishnamurthy

Remaining Slots: 4

Purse Remaining: ₹4.40 Crore

What’s Next for the WPL 2025?

The retention lists mark the beginning of the final preparations for the 2025 season of the Women’s Premier League.

With 71 players retained, including 25 international stars, franchises are now preparing to add new players at the mini-auction.

The purse management and strategic retention of key players are setting the stage for what promises to be another thrilling season of women’s cricket in India.

As the mini-auction approaches, teams will aim to finalize their squads, balancing experienced international players with emerging Indian talent.

WPL Season 3 is set to begin in the January-February window, starting in 2025.