With anticipation building for the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL), franchises have moved closer to finalizing their squads by completing retentions and releases ahead of the mini-auction. In this article, we’ll explore the retention picks made by two-time finalists Delhi Capitals, along with their available slots and money in the bank heading into the auction.
In line with the philosophy of “why fix what isn’t broken,” the Capitals have unsurprisingly released Laura Harris, who featured in only one game over two seasons, along with Ashwani Kumari, Aparna Mondal, and Poonam Yadav, while retaining their core Indian and overseas players.
𝐃𝐂’𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧! 💥
Capitals’ core squad is ready to fight for the title! 🏆
What do you think of DC’s retention picks? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ruqztJvsI5
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 7, 2024
Delhi Capitals’ Retentions and Releases:
Retained– Meg Lanning (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Taniyaa Bhatia (WK), Minnu Mani, Sneha Deepthi, Titas Sadhu, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Alice Capsey, Annabel Sutherland
Released – Laura Harris, Poonam Yadav, Ashwani Kumari, Aparna Mondal
Sharing his thoughts on the picks, head coach Jonathan Barry commented, “We have an incredibly strong squad, and have played some brilliant cricket over the past two seasons. It’s always a tough decision for us to let go of these players, who’ve been an integral part of our success. I wish them the very best.
“These releases are for fine-tuning some details and for allowing us to bolster the strength and depth of the squad. Our scouting team has had a thorough look at a lot of local talent during the off-season. We’re confident of filling in the minor gaps in our squad, and making it more complete in the upcoming auction.”
The Capitals’ Indian core—batters Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, along with bowling all-rounders Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, and Arundhati Reddy—paired with overseas stars in skipper Meg Lanning, spin all-rounders Jess Jonassen and Alice Capsey, pace all-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, plus keeper-batter Taniya Bhatia—together, they fill nine slots of the playing XI, showcasing the team’s balance and stability, which remains intact.
Poonam Yadav, the experienced leg-spinner, faces a tough call with her release after only three games, also reducing the team’s bowling variety. However, with several bowling options already in the lineup, a regular spot was hard to come by.
Similarly, Ashwani Kumari, despite her strong domestic performances, struggled for opportunities—first with Gujarat Giants, where she played only one game, and now with Delhi Capitals, where a crowded top order limited her chances. The same is the case with keeper-batter Aparna Mondal, who also found herself without a spot in the starting XI.
Aiming to break their runner-up streak and finish one better, the Capitals will target dependable batters and versatile bowling all-rounders in the upcoming WPL mini-auction.
Scotland’s keeper-batter Sarah Bryce, capable of anchoring and accelerating the innings, adds great value to this squad without disturbing the XI, filling the 5th overseas slot under the associate nations category. Whether it’s Sarah or her sister, pace all-rounder Kathryn Bryce, another rich addition, time will tell but in total, the Capitals have four available slots in their extended squad to complete their 18-player roster, backed by a budget of 2.50 Crores.
(Quote sourced from Delhi Capitals press release)
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