With the highly anticipated 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) approaching, UP Warriorz has finalized its retentions and releases as they gear up for the third season, most likely scheduled for February-March 2025. The team has released four players, traded one, and retained 15, building a strong core for the upcoming season.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) initially set October 15 as the deadline for WPL franchises to submit their retention and release lists but later extended it to November 7, 2024.
UP Warriorz retained a balanced mix, focusing on maintaining key players like skipper Alyssa Healy, all-rounder Deepti Sharma, star spinner Sophie Ecclestone, and power hitter Grace Harris, alongside promising domestic talents like Kiran Navgire and Vrinda Dinesh. However, the release of England fast-bowler Lauren Bell came as a surprise to many. The franchise also traded England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge to defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore last month for INR 30 lakh.
𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐳 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓! ⚔
The heart of UPW is locked in! 💥
Will UPW rise to the challenge this season? 🤩#CricketTwitter #WPL2025 pic.twitter.com/ytcwSVRtbb
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 7, 2024
For the 2025 season, each team must have a roster of 15-18 players, with a maximum of six international players. The auction purse has been raised to INR 15 crore, up from INR 12 crore in the inaugural season and INR 13.5 crore last year, giving teams more financial flexibility to craft competitive squads for the third edition.
UP Warriorz will enter the WPL 2025 auction with an available purse of INR 3.90 crore, allowing them room to recruit three additional players, including at least one overseas player, to complete their lineup.
UP Warriorz released Players:
Laxmi Yadav:
A part of UP Warriorz since the inaugural edition, Laxmi didn’t play in either season.
Parshavi Chopra:
Known for her impressive performance with India U-19, where she claimed 11 wickets in six innings, Parshavi joined UP Warriorz based on her strong U-19 World Cup showing. However, she only played four matches in 2023, yet impressed taking three wickets, but did not feature in 2024.
S Yashasri:
Another India U-19 talent, Yashasri took four wickets in three U-19 World Cup matches but only played once for UP Warriorz, where she claimed a wicket against Delhi Capitals in 2023. She did not make the squad in 2024.
Lauren Bell:
The England fast bowler was signed for the 2023 season but did not participate in 2024, focusing instead on England’s series against New Zealand. She was replaced by Chamari Athapaththu, who has been retained for the 2025 season. Bell played two World Cup matches, claiming a wicket, before her release.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who was acquired in the 2024 auction, did not make an appearance for the team. She was traded last month to Royal Challengers Bangalore for 30 lakhs ahead of the official retention and release announcements.
UP Warriorz looks forward to building on this foundation and adding strategic recruits at the upcoming WPL 2025 auction.
Retained – Alyssa Healy (C), Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Chamari Athapaththu, Grace Harris, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia Mcgrath, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Saima Thakor, Anjali Sarvani, Gouher Sultana, Poonam Khemnar, Uma Chetry, Vrinda Dinesh
Released – Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, S Yashasri, Lauren Bell, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (traded to RCB).
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