WPL 2025 Mini Auction to Be Held on December 15 in Bengaluru

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The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is gearing up for its third edition, with the 2025 mini-auction scheduled for December 15 in Bengaluru. Each of the five franchises will have an increased budget of INR 15 crore, up from INR 13.5 crore in 2024, to bolster their squads for the highly anticipated season.

Key Players in the Auction Pool

Several international stars will be up for grabs, including:

• Heather Knight (England)
• Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand)
• Deandra Dottin (West Indies)

Indian players like allrounder Sneh Rana, legspinner Poonam Yadav, and batter Veda Krishnamurthy are also expected to attract interest from the franchises.

Franchise Purses and Preparations

Among the franchises:

• Delhi Capitals (2023 and 2024 runners-up) have the smallest purse of INR 2.5 crore.
• Gujarat Giants, aiming to rebuild after finishing last in the first two seasons, have the largest purse of INR 4.4 crore after releasing seven players.
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the defending champions, enter the auction with INR 3.25 crore, having released seven players, including Heather Knight.

Notably, England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge became the only player to switch teams during the pre-season trade window, moving to RCB in an all-cash trade from UP Warriorz.

Venue Evolution and Future Plans

While the inaugural WPL was hosted solely in Mumbai, the 2024 edition expanded to Bengaluru and New Delhi. For 2025, the BCCI is exploring a “caravan” model, with potential plans to introduce more venues. However, franchises are lobbying for a traditional home-and-away format in future editions.

Tournament Timeline

The 2025 WPL season will run over three weeks in February-March, marking the final year of its February-March window. Starting in 2026, the tournament is expected to shift to January-February, aligning with the women’s ICC Future Tours Programme for the 2025-29 cycle.

The WPL continues to grow as a marquee event in women’s cricket, with fans eagerly anticipating the new season and the mini-auction shaping team strategies for 2025.