WPL 2025 auctions: MI’s purse strings tightened, but a star all-rounder could be their jackpot

In the last season, 2023 champions Mumbai were eliminated by the eventual champions RCB (Pic: AFP)

Former India cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy on Friday opened up on what could be Mumbai Indians' plans for the WPL 2025 auctions. The list of retained players by all the franchises ahead of the next Women's Premier League (WPL) season was announced on Thursday.

Across the five franchises, 71 players, including 25 overseas stars, have been retained, securing each team's core lineup for the upcoming season.

The former right-hand batter said that the Mumbai franchise is saving its purse to go behind overseas all-rounders in the WPL 2025 auctions.

"MI might be saving a significant portion of their purse to go after an overseas all-rounder, either fast-bowling or spin-bowling. Even in the first edition, they seemed a player short after Amelia Kerr's dismissal. Last year, Humaira was in the eleven but wasn't utilized as a batter, though she contributed with the ball. I feel there's a vacant spot that MI will look to address in this auction. Their mistake in last year's eliminator was failing to finish the game, so I think they'll focus on filling that gap," she said on Jio Cinema.

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

Released Players: Fatima Jaffer, Humairaa Kaazi, Isabelle Wong, and Priyanka Bala.

In the last season, the 2023 champions were eliminated by the eventual champions RCB.

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List of other players retained and released ahead of the WPL 2025 auctions

Delhi Capitals (DC)

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 Players: Aparna Mondal, Ashwani Kumari, Laura Harris', and Poonam Yadav.

DC reached the finals of the previous season, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by eight wickets.

Gujarat Giants (GG)

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 Players: Kathryn Bryce', Lauren Cheatle', Lea Tahuhu', Sneh Rana, Tarannum Pathan, Trisha Poojitha, and Veda Krishnamurthy.

GG finished at the bottom of the points table last season, with two wins and six losses.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

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, Shraddha Pokarkar, Shubha Satheesh, and Simran Bahadur.

RCB emerged as the champions of the WPL 2024, beating DC by eight wickets in the final.

UP Warriorz (UPW)

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 Players: Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, S. Yashasri, and Lauren Bell'.

In the previous season, UP Warriorz missed out on the playoffs, finishing fourth with three wins and five losses.

(With agency inputs)