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Uncapped Indian fast bowler Kashvee Gautam (Gujarat Giants) and Australia allrounder Annabel Sutherland (Delhi Capitals) attracted the joint-highest bids of INR 2 crore (US$ 240,000 approx.) at the auction ahead of the second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Another uncapped Indian player, batter Vrinda Dinesh, who played for India A against England A, was picked up by UP Warriorz as the next-most expensive buy.

Importantly, all 30 slots, including nine for overseas, were filled and here is how the five WPL squads look like at the end of it.

Delhi Capitals

Squad strength: 18 (6 overseas)
Players bought: Annabel Sutherland (INR 2 crore), Aparna Mondal (INR 10 lakh), Ashwani Kumari (INR 10 lakh)
Auction-day performance: Even before the inaugural WPL, Capitals had a very strong squad. The only perceived shortcoming was a back-up wicketkeeper to Taniya Bhatia. They had released wicketkeeper Aparna Mondal, who they brought back at base price. Not opting for Uma Chetry, the Assam player who can score quickly, might be a missed opportunity.

Capitals managed to get Australia allrounder Annabel Sutherland after an intense bidding war with Mumbai Indians, which can be considered a win. She is a reliable option in case Marizanne Kapp needs to be rested, and is, in any case, a strong all-round option in the squad.

Full squad: Alice Capsey*, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen*, Laura Harris*, Marizanne Kapp*, Meg Lanning*, Minnu Mani, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniya Bhatia, Titas Sadhu, Annabel Sutherland*, Aparna Mondal, Ashwani Kumari

Gujarat Giants

Squad strength: 18 (6 overseas)
Players bought: Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1 crore), Meghna Singh (INR 30 lakh), Trisha Poojitha (INR 10 lakh), Kashvee Gautam (INR 2 crore), Priya Mishra (INR 20 lakh), Lauren Cheatle (INR 30 lakh), Kathryn Bryce (INR 10 lakh), Mannat Kashyap (INR 10 lakh), Veda Krishnamurthy (INR 30 lakh), Tarannum Pathan (INR 10 lakh)
Auction-day performance: Giants will be satisfied with how their squad looks on paper – multiple all-round options plus a gun batter and an express fast bowler in Kashvee Gautam. That they opted for Phoebe Litchfield over Chamari Athapaththu reflects their batting worries from WPL 2023 and a bid to rectify that with a solid player.

Opting for Scotland allrounder Kathryn Bryce, an associate player, gives them the opportunity to play five overseas players in the XI. Veda Krishnamurthy‘s return, a surprise, gives them experience in the middle order.

Full squad: Ashleigh Gardner*, Beth Mooney*, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt*, Shabnam Shakil, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwar, Phoebe Litchfield*, Meghna Singh, Trisha Poojitha, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, Lauren Cheatle*, Kathryn Bryce*, Mannat Kashyap, Veda Krishnamurthy, Tarannum Pathan

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