As the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 retentions list rolls out, significant roster changes emerge across all five franchises, with notable players such as Sneh Rana, Poonam Yadav, Heather Knight, and Lea Tahuhu being released. The upcoming auction, expected in early December, sees teams reshuffling with a bolstered purse of INR 15 crore, up from last year’s 13.5 crore. Here’s a comprehensive look at the WPL 2025 retentions and released players team by team.
Gujarat Giants (GG), who have finished at the bottom of the table in both previous WPL seasons, aim for a fresh lineup. They’ve released captain Sneh Rana, alongside New Zealand’s Lea Tahuhu and Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce. Rana had limited success in WPL, tallying just six wickets and 47 runs across two seasons. Tahuhu, who played sparingly, managed only one wicket last season.
Retained GG players include top talents like Beth Mooney, Ash Gardner, and Laura Wolvaardt. Others staying on board are Dayalan Hemalatha, Tanuja Kanwer, Shabnam Shakil, Phoebe Litchfield, and Priya Mishra. Additional releases from GG include Mannat Kashyap, Veda Krishnamurthy, Tarannum Pathan, and Lauren Cheatle.
For Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), defending champions and home to superstars like Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry, the biggest release is England captain Heather Knight. Knight had withdrawn from the previous season due to national duty, and her replacement, South African allrounder Nadine de Klerk, has also been let go.
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RCB have retained key players, including Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, and Kate Cross. Released players include Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Simran Bahadur, and Shraddha Pokarkar. Notably, RCB acquired Danielle Wyatt-Hodge in a trade with UP Warriorz.
The Delhi Capitals (DC), losing finalists in both WPL seasons, bid farewell to veteran leg-spinner Poonam Yadav. Once a stalwart for India, Poonam has not appeared in international cricket since 2022 and didn’t play in the last WPL season.
Joining her on the release list are Laura Harris, Aparna Mondal, and Ashwani Kumari. DC’s retained lineup remains strong, featuring Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, and Jess Jonassen, with promising domestic players such as Taniyaa Bhatia, Titas Sadhu, and Sneha Deepthi.
Mumbai Indians (MI) have also made strategic adjustments. They released Issy Wong, the English pace bowler, along with Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, and Priyanka Bala. However, they retained their core, including star captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Amelia Kerr, and Hayley Matthews.
Other key players staying include Shabnim Ismail, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Chloe Tryon, all crucial for MI’s competitive edge in the league.
Finally, UP Warriorz (UPW), known for reaching playoffs in the first season, released several players including Parshavi Chopra, England’s Lauren Bell, uncapped Laxmi Yadav, and S Yashasri.
UPW retained a formidable squad with Alyssa Healy, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, and Grace Harris at the helm. They also held onto Uma Chetry, a talented wicketkeeper-batter.
With big names being let go and a heightened auction budget, WPL 2025 retentions signal bold moves across franchises aiming to refine their rosters. As teams solidify their lineups, the forthcoming season promises a fresh slate of intense competition.
The auction will see new faces and strategies as franchises seek a balance of experience and emerging talent. Fans await early December with high anticipation, as teams brace for the third season of this electrifying league.
WPL 2025 Retentions and Released Players
| Team | Retained Players | Released Players |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat Giants (GG) | Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Laura Wolvaardt, Dayalan Hemalatha, Tanuja Kanwer, Shabnam Shakil, Phoebe Litchfield, Priya Mishra, Trisha Poojitha, Meghna Singh | Sneh Rana, Lea Tahuhu, Kathryn Bryce, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mannat Kashyap, Tarannum Pathan, Lauren Cheatle |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sabbineni Meghana, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Wareham, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Ekta Bisht, Kanika Ahuja, Kate Cross, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (traded from UPW) | Heather Knight, Nadine de Klerk, Shubha Satheesh, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Simran Bahadur, Shraddha Pokarkar |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Taniyaa Bhatia, Minnu Mani, Sneha Deepthi, Titas Sadhu, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland | Poonam Yadav, Laura Harris, Aparna Mondal, Ashwini Kumari |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar, Jintimani Kalita, Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Shabnim Ismail, Yastika Bhatia, S Sajana, Keerthana Balakrishnan | Issy Wong, Fatima Jaffer, Humaira Kazi, Priyanka Bala |
| UP Warriorz (UPW) | Alyssa Healy, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma, Chamari Athapaththu, Grace Harris, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Anjali Sarvani, Gouher Sultana, Poonam Khemnar, Uma Chetry, Vrinda Dinesh, Saima Thakor | Lauren Bell, Parshavi Chopra, Laxmi Yadav, S Yashasri |
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