WPL 2023 Auction: 409 players set to go under the hammer with 90 available slots

The auction for the inaugural season of the Women's Premier League is scheduled to take place on February 13 at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and opener Smriti Mandhana will be among the biggest stars in the 409-man list to go under the hammer. 1,525 players applied for the upcoming auction, of which 409 advanced to the shortlist. The list includes 246 Indian players and 163 overseas players, of which eight are from associated countries. The total number of restricted players is 202, unrestricted players are 199 and 8 are from associated countries.

From a list of 409 players, only 90 will be selected by the five teams participating in the inaugural season of the WPL, with 30 of those spots reserved for overseas cricketers. The highest reserve price for players is set at Rs 50 Lakh, with 24 players including Harmanpreet and Mandhana opting to be placed in the highest bracket. Meanwhile, 30 players have registered at a base price of Rs 40 crore.

Besides Harmanpreet and Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and India's Under-19 T20 World Cup captain Shafali Verma also registered in the 50 Lakh category. There are also 13 overseas players in the top group, such as Ellyse Perry of Australia, Sophie Ecclestone of England, Sophie Devine of New Zealand and Deandra Dottin of the West Indies.

The inaugural season of the WPL will be played in Mumbai from Match 4 to March 26. Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium will be the two venues that will host 22 matches in the women's tournament.