Photo Credit: Melbourne Stars
The inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction will be held on February 13 with seven Melbourne Stars a chance to be selected.
For the first WPL auction 30 international spots are open across the five teams (Bengaluru, Delhi, Gujarat Giants, Lucknow Warriors and Mumbai). 409 players are on the final auction list including 246 Indian players and 163 overseas players.
Meg Lanning
Returning to captain Australia in the ODI and T20I series against Pakistan in January, Lanning will also lead Australia at this month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.
The number five ranked ICC T20I batter, Lanning has played 126 T20I matches with over 3000 runs and a high score of 133* from 63.
Lanning has led the nation to Commonwealth Games gold, as well as Ashes, World Cup and T20 World Cup victories in recent years.
In the WBBL Lanning has 2725 runs with an average of 42.5 and strike rate of 120. The Melbourne Stars captain was also the leading run scorer and Player of the Tournament in WBBL|01.
Annabel Sutherland
Sutherland had an impressive WBBL|08 being named in the Team of the Tournament. The all-rounder was both the Stars’ leading run scorer (304 runs) and leading wicket taker (21 wickets), taking the sixth most wickets in the competition.
The 21-year-old has played 15 T20I matches for Australia, including the recent series against Pakistan and India. Sutherland was also selected in the squad for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Kim Garth
Coming off an Australian debut in December, Garth is part of the squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Garth took 12 wickets in WBBL|08 with best figures of 2-9 opening the bowling for the Stars.
Before completing Australian residency Garth made 51 T20 international appearances for Ireland and was recognised as Ireland’s women’s cricketer of the decade in 2021.
Garth was the Stars’ WBBL|07 Player of the Season taking 15 wickets and hitting 164 runs at an average of 27.4.
Tess Flintoff
Being able to impact matches with both the bat and the ball Flintoff was named the WBBL|08 Young Gun after an outstanding tournament.
Flintoff smashed the fastest ever WBBL half-century in November with an unbeaten 51 from just 16 balls, including six fours and three sixes.
The 19-year-old has taken 26 wickets in her 50 WBBL matches.
Alice Capsey
Capsey’s WBBL|08 season was highlighted by a match winning 80* against the Hobart Hurricanes that featured five sixes.
The 18-year-old made her international T20 debut for England in July 2022 and has played 10 matches with a high score of 50. Capsey is also set to represent England at the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
An attacking option at the top of the order, Capsey is a two-time championship player for the Oval Invincibles, where she made a half century on debut at Lord’s.
Lauren Winfield-Hill
Winfield-Hill has a wealth of international experience having represented England over 100 times across all three formats and has been named in England’s 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad.
The powerful batter won the Hundred with the Oval Invincibles alongside Capsey in 2022.
Winfield-Hill opened the batting in WBBLl08 and made 74 off 51 in her Stars debut.
Jemimah Rodrigues
Rodrigues has played 75 T20I matches for India scoring over 1,500 runs since making her debut as a 17-year-old in 2018.
The batter hit a career best in T20 internationals of 76 from 53 balls against Sri Lanka last year and is about to play in her third T20 World Cup.
Rodrigues played seven matches for the Stars in WBBL|08.
The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League will be played in Mumbai from March 4-26, 2023.
Name of Author: Melbourne Stars
Melbourne Stars are a Twenty20 cricket franchise based in Melbourne, Victoria, competing in Australia’s Big Bash League. The team wears a green uniform and plays its home matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
