The third edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) delivered another scintillating season of exhilarating and breathtaking cricket, providing fresh talent and reaffirming the prowess of some familiar names. As franchises battled it out for glory, several players left an indelible mark with their standout performances — be it with the bat, ball, or in crunch situations.
However, when the squad for the upcoming limited-overs tri-series featuring India, South Africa, and hosts Sri Lanka was announced, a few deserving names could not find their place in the picked squad. Here’s a look at notable performers from WPL 2025 who lit up the tournament but, much to the surprise of fans and experts alike, or recent debutants, couldn’t break into the India squad this time around.
Shafali Verma
One of the biggest surprises from the selection table was the omission of Shafali Verma. A proven match-winner and an explosive top-order batter, Shafali seemed to have done everything in her power to earn a national comeback. She was last seen in Indian colours during the T20 World Cup group stage clash against Australia, but since then, her form has only surged. In the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, she tore through bowling attacks, amassing 527 runs at a staggering strike rate of 152.31 and an imposing average of 75.29. Her WPL 2025 campaign was equally dominant, where she maintained a blistering strike rate of 152.76, consistently providing her team with fiery starts. To top it off, batting for India C, she displayed maturity under pressure, rescuing her side from a tricky situation against India D with a sublime 108 off 104 balls, studded with 19 boundaries. Despite these remarkable numbers, Shafali finds herself on the sidelines once again — a decision that’s left many baffled.
Shikha Pandey
Another name that was expected to get picked in the squad was of seasoned bowling all-rounder Shikha Pandey. A veteran of 55 ODIs for India, Shikha’s experience and ability to deliver in crunch moments have made her a reliable figure in the women’s circuit. With 75 wickets in the 50-over format at an excellent average of 21.92, an economy of 3.99, and two four-wicket hauls to her name — including a best of 4/18 — her track record speaks for itself. In the third season of the WPL, Shikha once again showcased her consistency and control, scalping 11 wickets in 9 matches at a respectable economy of 7.08 and a handy strike rate of 18.5. She was last seen in ODI action during India’s narrow 4-run win over England in September 2022, and her last T20I appearance came in the 2023 T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia — a tense contest India lost by just 5 runs.
Priya Mishra
Among the emerging talents in Indian cricket, leg-spinner Priya Mishra left an early mark in the early stages of WPL 2025. Playing for Gujarat Giants, Mishra’s crafty leg-breaks and ability to pick crucial wickets in important phases made. In 9 matches, she claimed 6 wickets with best figures of 3/25 — a performance that had fans and pundits alike calling for her inclusion in the national setup. While her form dipped towards the latter half of the tournament, her overall impact and potential remained evident. What makes her exclusion even more puzzling is that she featured in India’s playing XI as recently as January this year, during the second ODI against Ireland when the visitors toured India. Given her recent international exposure and a promising WPL season, many believed Priya had done enough to retain her place, but the selectors thought otherwise for this tri-series.
Minnu Mani
Another notable omission from the tri-series squad is promising off-spinner Minnu Mani. Representing Delhi Capitals in the third season of the WPL, Minnu proved to be a steady performer with the ball, picking up 7 wickets in 9 innings while maintaining a tidy economy of 7.00 — an impressive feat considering the batter-friendly conditions. Having made her international debut in December 2024 during the second ODI of India’s tour of Australia, Minnu showed signs of settling into the big stage. She was last seen in India colours during the third ODI against Ireland in January, where she returned with figures of 1/22 in a disciplined spell. Despite consistent showings both in the domestic circuit and the WPL, Minnu Mani finds herself on the outside looking in — a decision that may have deprived India’s spin department of a versatile and dependable option for the tri-series.
Raghvi Bist
A young talent with plenty of promise, Raghvi Bist enjoyed a decent run in WPL 2025 for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The right-handed batter scored 95 runs from 6 innings, playing a few handy knocks in the middle order. While those numbers might not allow her to break into the international circuit in no time, her ability was evident for the Indian colours during the third T20I against West Indies at home — a different format, but a recent enough outing to stay in the minds of selectors. Though she didn’t have a highly memorable WPL season, her potential and temperament arguably merited a spot in the tri-series squad, especially with the middle-order spots still open for competition.
Pacers Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu were not considered for selection due to injury.
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