Preview: WPL Cricket
A host of Aussie stars feature in the Indian WPL T20 tournament which starts this weekend
The third edition of the Indian WPL gets underway this weekend, with many members of the superstar Australian side, plus many other of the world’s best players, coming together to win the title and experience the Indian culture along the way.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who feature a number of Aussies including superstar Ellyse Perry, come into the 2025 tournament as the defending champions, however the champs will be missing a couple of their strike international players from last season. They are New Zealand allrounder Sophie Devine, who is taking a break from cricket, while Perry’s good friend Sophie Molineux - Player of the Final in 2024 on the back of a great bowling performance - won’t be there after undergoing surgery. Her spot has been taken by another left arm spinner, England’s Charlie Dean.
Also missing will be Aussie captain Alyssa Healy, who won’t be joining UP Warriorz after captaining them in the first two editions. Healy is choosing to stay home and recover from the injuries which limited her involvement during the Ashes. Last year’s Player of the Tournament, Indian star Deepti Sharma, will lead that side.
Here’s a wrap of all five Indian Women’s Premier League franchises, including which Aussies are involved, other internationals stars and a few of the local favourites.
DELHI CAPITALS
Led by Meg Lanning, the Capitals were probably the best team last year, finishing on top of the table, but couldn’t get it done in the final. Lanning was the second highest run scorer in 2024, with 331 runs, while Jess Jonassen bowled particularly well on the Indian pitches, taking 11 wickets to be equal third with teammate Marizanne Kapp.
After being the highest priced international at last year’s auction, reigning Belinda Clark Medalist Annabel Sutherland will be looking to make her mark on the tournament after a modest 2024 where she was left out of the side for the final and other games.
Australians
Meg Lanning (c), Jess Jonassen, Annabel Sutherland
Internationals
Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Alice Capsey (England)
Notable Indians
Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey
GUJARAT GIANTS
The Giants will be hoping for a change of fortunes in 2025, having finished bottom of the table in the previous two WPL tournaments. In 2023, captain Beth Mooney missed much of the tournament after suffering an injury, and despite the Australian star firing in 2024 (6th top scorer and the 3rd highest game top score with 85), Gujarat were only able to secure two wins from eight games in 2024, matching their 2023 output.
Ash Gardner takes over the captaincy this season, with Mooney able to focus on her role as batter and wicketkeeper.
Australians
Ash Gardner (c), Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney
Internationals
Deandre Dottin (West Indies), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)
Notable Indians
Harleen Deol
MUMBAI INDIANS
Despite finishing second on the table in 2024, Mumbai missed the decider after coming into the tournament as defending champions from the year before. The only WPL team without an Australian, the Indians are loaded up with some of the most powerful and game-changing all rounders in the world, namely the trio of Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews and 2024 ICC Cricketer of the Year Amelia Kerr - the only member of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup champion in the WPL.
Mumbai will once again be led by Indian veteran Harmanpreet Kaur, whose 95 runs against Gujarat last season came very close to becoming the first ever WPL century.
Internationals
Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Chloe Tryon, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail, Nadine de Klerk
Notable Indians
Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia, Pooja Vastrakar
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU
RCB produced championship qualities when it mattered, winning a low scoring final to claim the title in 2024. Ellyse Perry, as well as being leading runscorer last season with 347 runs, also took seven wickets across nine games. Having not bowled very much across the Ashes series and the most recent WBBL, it will be interesting to see if ‘Pez’ bowls herself in the tournament or plays purely as a batter.
Georgia Wareham showed during the Ashes what a game changer she can be with both bat and ball, while English duo Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Charlie Dean will be hoping to put a difficult trip to Australia behind them and contribute to RCB’s defence.
Australians
Ellyse Perry, Heather Graham, Kim Garth, Georgia Wareham
Internationals
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Charlie Dean
Notable Indians
Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh
UP WARRIORZ
Despite the loss of Alyssa Healy, Warriorz have all the elements to go deep in the tournament if their stars can execute their skills.
Aussie middle order batters Talia McGrath and Grace Harris combined well during the Ashes T20 at the SCG, and Harris can bat anywhere in the order. It was a memorable home series for McGrath and King - the former captained and batted well in Healy’s absence, while Alana King announced herself as a strike T20 bowler. With Indian heritage, King has the opportunity to become a superstar in her first trip to the WPL.
Throw in the world’s best slow bowler in Ecclestone, and Sri Lankan Chamari Athapaththu with her dynamic opening batting, and it’s a side capable of winning it all.
Australians
Talia McGrath, Grace Harris, Alana King
Internationals
Sophie Ecclestone, Chamari Athapaththu
Notable Indians
Deepti Sharma, Saima Thakor