While the Women’s Premier League auction did pave the way for massive paydays for both the Indian and overseas cricketers, there were still some shocking exclusions of cricketers who went unsold. Let’s take a look at some of the prominent names who did not make the cut.
Alana King:
Perhaps one of the most shocking non-selections has to be that of Alana King. Having played in the Indian conditions during her Women’s T20 Challenge tournament days and impressing, she was also the pick of the bowlers in Australia’s tour of India. Her wily leg spin makes her a hot commodity in a lot of leagues, and her WBBL performance was nothing short of remarkable as she scalped 17 wickets in her 13 appearances at an unbelievable economy rate of 5.91.
Sune Luus:
The skipper of South Africa and perhaps one of the most talented batters in world cricket at the moment, Sune Luus not getting picked by any franchise came as a rude shock because her experience in captaining South Africa in the absence of Dane van Niekerk has been exceptional and has featured in over 97 matches scoring more than 1000 runs and her familiarity and the sense of adaptability to the Indian conditions would have come in handy.
Suzie Bates:
The White Ferns all-rounder who is not just the highest run-getter overall in Women’s T20Is history, much to everyone’s surprise, she went unsold at the WPL auction. With a lot of experience in the format, having played in over 140 T20Is and scoring 3500+ runs, she has also scalped 55 wickets, making her a valuable addition to any franchise. In the recent past, her form has been on the down low and perhaps that contributed to her being overlooked by the franchise owners.
Laura Wolvaardt:
Known for her mouth-watering cover drives, Laura Wolvaardt was a shock non-selection that left a bitter distaste in her fans who were waiting to see her don any franchise colours. The 23-year-old is known for her sound technical prowess, but her instability in the South African batting and the management’s need to keep shifting her batting order up and down has led to a slew of poor scores, but her unforgettable performances in the WBBL and the Hundred make her a valuable asset and someone who will break the door down in the future.
Danni Wyatt:
Often expressing her love for India and the Indian conditions at large, her non-selection disappointed her fans but left her heartbroken. She is undoubtedly one of the finest batters from the England stable she oozes a lot of class and experience, having played in more than 130 T20Is and raking 2000 runs. With a rank of 16 in the ICC rankings for batters in T20Is, it is surprising that her good run of form in subcontinent conditions went unnoticed.
Other shocking exclusions: Chamari Athapaththu, Lea Tahuhu, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Grace Scrivens, Sune Luus, Tammy Beaumont, Tazmin Brits, Tess Flintoff
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.