The upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction is slated to take place on February 13th, according to sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Five franchises, who will participate in the bidding for their desired players, have been informed to make travel arrangements for the one-day event. The BCCI recently revealed the five new teams for the inaugural edition of the WPL tournament, which is expected to run from March 4th to 24th.
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Initially, the board aimed to complete the auction by February 6th to give the franchises adequate time to organize themselves. However, at least three franchises requested the event to be pushed back by a week to assemble their coaching staff and ensure the presence of the owners and support staff at both the WPL auction and the finals of the SA20 and ILT20 tournaments, which will be held on February 11th and 12th.
Given the better connectivity from South Africa and the UAE, Mumbai was preferred over Delhi as the venue for the auction. The participating franchises, Adani Group, Reliance-backed IndiaWin Sports, Capri Global, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals, each own a team in the tournament which will feature 22 matches.
Four of the five WPL franchises, MI Emirates, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants and Sharjah Warriors, are also participating in the ILT20, while Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals also have teams in the SA20 tournament.
The tournament is expected to be played across two venues in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The Wankhede Stadium is reportedly earmarked for the IPL, while the Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium are set to host the WPL, with the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune as a backup option.
The upcoming player auction promises to be a thrilling event that will lay the foundation for the launch of the WPL tournament and bring excitement to the world of women’s cricket.