NEW DELHI: Mumbai cricketer Simran Shaikh on Sunday emerged as the highest-valued player at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction 2025, with Gujarat Giants securing her for Rs 1.90 crore, while experienced India player Sneh Rana remained unsold in Bengaluru.
During the auction, where five teams aimed to fill 19 positions from 120 available players for next year’s WPL, other significant acquisitions included West Indies player Deandra Dottin (Rs 1.70 crore – Gujarat Giants), young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini (Mumbai Indians – Rs 1.60 crore), Prema Rawat (Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Rs 1.20 crore) and N Charani (Delhi Capitals – Rs 55 lakh).
Simran’s selection followed intense bidding between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants.
The 22-year-old middle-order batter Simran, who previously represented UP Warriorz in the 2023 WPL season, has accumulated 176 runs in 11 matches for Mumbai, averaging 22 with a strike rate of 100.57.
All-rounder Dottin, currently touring India with the West Indies squad for the white-ball series, commanded the highest price among international players. Gujarat Giants secured her services for the second time at auction.
Dottin, aged 33, with experience of 132 WT20Is, started at a base price of Rs 50 lakh. Despite interest from UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants secured her signature.
Previously, she was contracted by Gujarat Giants for Rs 60 lakh before WPL 2023 but missed the tournament due to medical certificate complications, which she later disputed.
Tamil Nadu’s G Kamalini, aged 16, fresh from scoring 44 in India’s victory against Pakistan at the U19 Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur on December 9, received her highest professional payment of Rs 1.60 crore from Mumbai Indians.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the second WPL edition champions, acquired Prema Rawat for Rs 1.20 crore.
Uttarakhand’s Nandini Kashyap, selected for India’s three-match T20I series versus West Indies beginning in Navi Mumbai, joined Delhi Capitals.
Delhi Capitals further strengthened their squad by acquiring Ireland’s Sarah Bryce, India’s U19 captain Niki Prasad, and N Charani.
RCB secured Uttarakhand’s Raghvi Bisht, who features in India’s West Indies T20I series squad, alongside Joshitha JV and Mumbai’s Jagravi Pawar.
Daniel Vettori bowls to India players in the nets at The Gabba
Inaugural WPL champions Mumbai Indians added South African Nadine de Klerk, Akshita Maheshwari and Sanskriti Gupta to their roster.
Gujarat Giants, who finished last in both previous WPL seasons, recruited England’s Danielle Gibson and Prakashika Naik.
UP Warriorz welcomed Australian Alana King, joining captain Alyssa Healy, and also signed Arushi Goel and Kranti Goud.
The auction concluded without any capped India players being purchased, including senior player Sneh Rana, who had previously captained Gujarat Giants in the tournament’s first edition.
