The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 auction was held on December 9 in Mumbai, where 30 players were sold to the five franchises for a total of INR 12.5 crore. While some players fetched hefty prices and some bargains were made, there were also some prominent names who went unsold in the auction. Here are some of the capped players who failed to find a buyer in the WPL 2024 auction:
- Tammy Beaumont: The England opener was one of the surprise omissions in the auction, as she went unsold for the second consecutive year. Beaumont, who has played 99 T20Is and scored 1721 runs, had set her base price at INR 40 lakh. However, her recent form in the WBBL and the WT20I series against Australia may have deterred the franchises from bidding for her. She scored only 296 runs in 14 matches for Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL 2023, with a strike rate of 119.35. She also managed only 31 runs in three innings in the WT20I series, with a strike rate of 88.57
- Chinelle Henry: The West Indies all-rounder was another player who went unsold in the auction, despite having a base price of INR 20 lakh. Henry, who has played 38 T20Is and scored 326 runs and taken 18 wickets, had a poor run in the WCPL and the WODI series against Australia. She scored only 39 runs in four matches for Barbados Royals in the WCPL 2023, with a strike rate of 97.50. She also took only one wicket in the tournament, with an economy rate of 8.75. She fared worse in the WODI series, scoring only one run and taking no wickets in three matches
- Veda Krishnamurthy: The India middle-order batter was another notable absentee in the WPL 2024 squads, as she remained unsold in the auction. Krishnamurthy, who has played 76 T20Is and scored 875 runs, had a base price of INR 30 lakh. However, her inconsistent performances in the WT20I series against South Africa and England may have cost her a place in the WPL. She scored only 59 runs in six innings in the WT20I series against South Africa, with a strike rate of 98.33. She also failed to impress in the WT20I series against England, scoring only 28 runs in three innings, with a strike rate of 84.84
- Shabnim Ismail: The South Africa fast bowler was another surprise exclusion in the WPL 2024 auction, as she went unsold for the first time. Ismail, who has played 102 T20Is and taken 108 wickets, had a base price of INR 50 lakh. However, her high price tag and her recent form in the WODI series against India may have deterred the franchises from picking her. She took only three wickets in four matches in the WODI series, with an economy rate of 5.62. She also missed the last match due to injury
- Erin Burns: The Australia all-rounder was another player who failed to find a buyer in the WPL 2024 auction, despite having a base price of INR 20 lakh. Burns, who has played 12 T20Is and scored 97 runs and taken four wickets, had a disappointing outing in the WBBL 2023 for Sydney Sixers. She scored only 113 runs in 14 matches, with a strike rate of 88.28. She also took only three wickets in the tournament, with an economy rate of 8.00
These are some of the capped players who went unsold in the WPL 2024 auction, which saw some new and exciting talents being picked by the franchises. The WPL 2024 is expected to be a thrilling and competitive tournament, where the best players from around the world will showcase their skills and talent. The WPL 2024 will be played from March 4 to March 26, 2024, across two venues in Mumbai.