The Women’s Premier League auction will take place on 27 November in Delhi, with three Bangladesh internationals included on the shortlist. Pace bowler Marufa Akter, all rounder Shorna Akter and spinner Rabeya Khan have earned their places after eye catching performances at the recent Women’s ODI World Cup.
All three players have been listed with a base price of 3 million Indian rupees, roughly 4.13 million Bangladeshi taka. Should any franchise select them, the upcoming edition of the WPL would mark their first appearance in the competition. Marufa drew widespread attention early in the World Cup when her inswinging delivery claimed a headline making bowled dismissal, prompting praise from Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga, although she struggled to maintain that standard throughout the tournament.
Marufa finished with six wickets in six matches. Bangladesh relied heavily on spin in the competition, and Shorna impressed with both bat and ball, scoring 116 runs and taking six wickets across seven games. Her 50 from only 34 balls was the fastest half century of the tournament. Rabeya, also listed for the auction, contributed seven wickets and 87 runs in seven matches.
A total of 227 players have registered for the WPL mega auction, including 83 overseas cricketers, although only 73 squad places are available. Just 23 of those slots are reserved for overseas signings, meaning the three Bangladesh players must compete for limited opportunities. Australia lead the overseas registrations with 23 players, followed by England with 22, New Zealand with 13, South Africa with 11 and three each from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Two players have registered from the UAE, while Thailand and the United States have one each.
India have 194 players in the auction pool, yet only 52 have international caps. Eight cricketers appear in the marquee category, including India’s Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh, along with Sophie Devine, Sophie Ecclestone, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt. Renuka carries a base price of 4 million rupees, Wolvaardt 3 million, and the remaining six have base prices of 5 million rupees.
