Who's going to be the most expensive overseas buy at the WPL auction?
Chamari Athapaththu is a favourite in this race, but faces stiff competition from the likes of Annabel Sutherland and Danni Wyatt
Chamari Athapaththu acknowledges the dressing room after getting to her century • Getty Images
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
Despite having a base price of INR 30 lakh - that is, the lowest bracket for overseas players - Athapaththu found no takers in the inaugural WPL auction. Subsequently, she did not find a place in the Women's Hundred, the Women's Big Bash League or the Women's Caribbean Premier League either. But the Sri Lanka captain showed what teams were missing out on with a stellar show in 2023.
Annabel Sutherland (Australia)
Sutherland played four matches in WPL 2023, scored only 28 runs and picked up three wickets with an economy rate of 10.99, before being released by Gujarat Giants. She turned her form around in the women's Ashes, scoring her maiden Test century in Australia's win in Nottingham before picking up 3 for 28 in a narrow T20I loss against England at The Oval.
Danni Wyatt (England)
One of only three women to have played 150 or more T20Is, Wyatt surprisingly found no takers last time with a base price of INR 50 lakh, something she was disappointed with. Her ability to hit the ball hard at the top of the order as well as take spinners down with ease is something only a few batters possess in world cricket. She topped the batting charts for Women's Hundred champions Southern Brave and Charlotte Edwards (CE) Cup winners Southern Vipers.
Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia)
Wellington is a serial winner in 2023. She has been part of title-winning teams at the FairBreak Global Invitational Tournament, the WCPL and the WBBL. She was omitted from Australia's T20 World Cup squad earlier this year and then did not opt in for the inaugural WPL auction. But she starred in the WCPL final with a four-for for Barbados Royals.
Shabnim Ismail (South Africa)
Intense bidding saw UP Warriorz pick up Ismail for INR 1 crore at the last auction. But after just three games in the season, she finds herself back in the auction pool this year. The fiery South Africa fast bowler, who retired from internationals earlier this year, showed her wares at the Women's Hundred, the WCPL and the WBBL.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo