5 wicketkeepers WPL teams could target at the auction

The Women’s Premier League is gearing up for its 2027 auction, scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, in Kochi. Five franchises will be looking to fill gaps across their squads at the event.

A total of 146 players, comprising 119 Indians and 27 overseas cricketers, are registered for 27 available slots across the five teams. Among the positions that could see competitive bidding is the wicketkeeper-batter role.

Bhavika Ahire

Bhavika Ahire is a talented Indian wicketkeeper-batter who has already led India at the U-19 level. The 18-year-old is a long-term prospect, and several franchises may be interested in acquiring her services at the auction. The uncapped youngster has a base price of INR 10 lakh.

Sarah Bryce

Sarah Bryce is an experienced wicketkeeper-batter from Scotland. The 26-year-old has turned out for Welsh Fire, Delhi Capitals, Sydney Sixers and Oval Invincibles, among other franchises. Across 84 T20Is, she has accumulated 1,888 runs at an average of 30.45 and a strike rate of 112.44.

Babette De Leede

Babette De Leede leads the Netherlands women’s cricket team and was born in Leidschendam. She has featured in 101 T20Is, scoring 1,800 runs at an average of 22.50 and a strike rate of 97.13. Her glovework is equally noteworthy alongside her contributions with the bat. She has a base price of INR 10 lakh.

Uma Chetry

Uma Chetry is a 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Assam who has represented the Indian national side and the UP Warriorz in the WPL. She is a right-handed batter known for positive intent at the crease and nimble footwork when facing spin. Her ability to execute stumpings quickly makes her a reliable option behind the stumps. She has a base price of INR 30 lakh.

G Kamalini

G Kamalini is a wicketkeeper-batter who appears to be in contention for India’s U-19 World Cup squad next year, an event that clashes with the WPL schedule. Mumbai Indians chose not to retain her at INR 1.10 crore ahead of this auction, factoring in that potential unavailability. She enters the auction pool with a base price of INR 40 lakh, and franchises may look to secure her at a favourable price with an eye on the future. The Tamil Nadu left-hander was the second-highest run-getter for Tamil Nadu U-19 in the Women’s U-19 T20 Trophy, scoring 311 runs across eight matches.