While 82 uncapped Indian players have registered for the auction, seven are from foreign countries
One hundred twenty players, including foreigners, are set to go under the hammer for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) mini-auction 2025, scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on December 15. With only 19 spots left to be filled, it is incredibly tough for players to find a place, especially the ones who are uncapped.
Speaking about uncapped players, while the auction will see 82 uncapped Indians, seven foreigners will also take the stage, some of whom have caught our attention. To be honest, we do not believe they will find any takers, but in our book of thoughts, these handful of uncapped foreign players are worth looking at.
29-year-old Samantha Bates has played for the Australia A team but never made it to the big group and remains uncapped. When it comes to the T20Is, she played 129 games in the Women’s Big Bash League, picking up 120 wickets, which is an impressive number, including two four-wicket hauls. With a base price of INR 10 lakh, Bates could be a decent buy, especially for Bengaluru, who needs another bowler.
All five teams require a heavy hitter in the middle order, and 34-year-old uncapped Laura Harris from Australia could be a surprise package. She has vast experience playing in the Big Bash League, the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, and the Hundred’s Competition. In 123 Big Bash League matches, Laura has merely 1,275 runs, but her strike rate of 159.17 is worth noting. In the other two leagues, she also has a strike rate of over 180. Her base price is INR 10 lakh and could prove to be an impactful addition.
Hailing from Queensland, Australia, the 22-year-old batting all-rounder Charli Rae Knott has played 62 matches across the Women’s Big Bash League and the Hundred Women’s Competition. In 62 games, she has picked 26 wickets at an economy of 7.55, whereas with the willow, she has scored 654 runs. Charli has a base price of INR 10 lakh and could serve as a backup player if one of the teams has a really tight purse.
An exciting talent from Australia’s Victorian cricket, Tess Flintoff holds the record of hitting the fastest half-century in the Women’s Big Bash League history—52 runs off 22 deliveries. She made her debut for the Melbourne Stars at the age of 16 and has also represented the Australia A side. Flintoff has played 62 games in the Big Bash League and seven in the Women’s Hundred Competition. In 69 games across the tournaments, she has picked 32 wickets, whereas with the bat, she has hit nearly 500 runs.
Known for her fast and slingy action, Milly Illingworth made her Women’s Big Bash League debut with the Melbourne Stars before moving to the Melbourne Renegades in the summer of 2022-23. So far, she has played 20 matches, having picked nine wickets at an economy of 6.92. Milly could do a bit of damage, but given her lack of experience, we believe teams won’t be ready to splurge money on her. However, if given the chance, it will be interesting to see her action on Indian soil.
