The Tata Women's Premier League (WPL) is all set to start with a bang this Saturday, 4 March, and will go on till 26 March. Owned and operated by the BCCI, WPL is going to be the first-ever Indian women's premier league where five teams of female cricketers will compete for the ultimate title of WPL champion.
WPL will be played along with 22 matches at the DY Patil Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium CCI in Mumbai. The auction for the respective teams was held on 23 February 2023 where all five teams purchased their players. So far five franchises and team members have been finalized along with their captains and head coaches.
The Tata WPL is an initiative taken by the BCCI to promote cricket among female players. It is an ideal platform where female cricketers can showcase the talent and enthusiasm they carry for the sport. It is a professional cricket league that is specifically established for supporting female cricket in India.
The franchises have finally disclosed the names of those selected players who will lead their respective teams as captains. Let’s meet these talented women cricketers.
Smriti Mandhana (RCB)
Smriti Mandhana has been finalized as the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). She is the star player of the franchise RCB as she is the only Indian female athlete who became the most expensive player during the auction.
Smriti is a left-handed Indian batter who bowls right-arm medium pace. She has achieved great awards for her gameplay including, the 'Arjuna Award' and Best Women's International Cricketer of the Year in 2018.
Alyssa Healy (UP Warriorz)
Alyssa Healy will be leading the team UP Warriorz in the Tata WPL 2023. The franchise Up Warriorz has been bidded by Capri Global Holdings Private Limited. Alyssa is an Australian cricket player and is recognized as one of the best batters in international cricket. Indian ace female cricketer Deepti Sharma will be serving the respective team as the Vice-captain. Deepti is a left-handed batter and bowls their right arm off break. She holds the fourth position in the top all-rounders by the ICC Cricket Rankings.
Harmanpreet Kaur (Mumbai Indians)
Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian Women's National Cricket Team is selected as the captain of Mumbai Indians. She has been auctioned by the MI for a sum of 1.80 crores. Harmanpreet is an all-rounder player with a record of making a century in a women's T20 International match. She secured many records and achievements over time. In 2019, she has also become the first Indian cricketer in both male and female to play in 100 International Twenty20 matches. She was also awarded the 'Arjuna Award' in 2017 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals)
The Australian Cricket Captain Meg Lanning will be leading the team of Delhi Capitals in WPL 2023. She will have Indian player Jemimah Rodrigues as her deputy in the team. Meg is a two-time champion in the Women's Cricket World Cup and has bagged five titles in the ICC Women's World Twenty20. Meg is the first Australian female cricketer to mark 2,000 runs in a Twenty20 International tournament. She is the third player after Mithali Raj of India and Charlotte Edwards of England to lead her team in 150 women's international cricket matches.
Beth Mooney (Gujarat Giants)
The record player of the T20 World Cup, Australian cricket player Beth Mooney has been finalized as the captain of Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League 2023. Beth has become a legend in cricket for the Australian team as she is the first batter in two World Cup finals to reach the 50 runs mark. She has been also recognized with the title 'Player of the Series in the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup.'
