3 top takeaways from WPL 2025 retentions ft. Sneh Rana and Issy Wong's releases
The Women's Premier League (WPL) franchises submitted their retention list on Thursday, November 7, ahead of the 2025 mini-auction. With a slight boost to the purse amount after the success of the first two editions of the tournaments, the teams will be looking to polish their contingent.
In total, 71 players, including 25 overseas cricketers, have been retained by the five teams. On the other hand, 24 players were released back into the auction pool.
The Gujarat Giants (GG) head into the auction with the highest purse of ₹4.4 crore, while two-time finalists Delhi Capitals (DC) have ₹2.5 crore, making them the franchise with the lowest purse.
On that note, let us take a look at the top three takeaways from WPL 2025 retentions.
#1 No knee-jerk reactions from franchises
Most of the retentions were along expected lines as franchises opted to play it safe. Two seasons in the competition is enough time to assess where one stands, and with four of the five franchises in the league having tasted at least playing playoffs so far, they are willing to have another go with the same combination.
The only franchise expected to be heavy in releases was arguably Gujarat Giants (GG), having finished bottom in the points table both times. They once again head into the auction with the highest purse, as they search for answers, and find the missing piece of the puzzles
As far as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and consistent playoff makers Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) have also retained more than the majority of their core, aiming to reap the benefits of their hard and smart work at the inaugural WPL auction.
#2 Sneh Rana and Issy Wong's releases
As mentioned before, most retentions matched those anticipated earlier, but the absence of two names on the list was alarming. The Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians' decision to release Sneh Rana and Issy Wong was unexpected and shocking.
Sneh Rana had been an integral part of the GG setup in the first two editions, even stepping in as captain when Beth Mooney was ruled out. GG's questionable decisions in their two-year stint began with letting Annabel Sutherland go and continued by not persisting with Sneh Rana as captain in the second season.
MI, renowned for their sharpness when it comes to such matters, also decided to release Issy Wong. The pacer was the live-wire behind MI's title-winning season in 2023, which included a famous hat trick against the UP Warriorz.
Her role greatly diminished in the 2024 season as MI got their hands on seasoned veteran Shabnim Ismail. She played only two matches, but the 22-year-old could have been retained as a long-term prospect given that Shabnim Ismail is 36 years old and retired from international cricket.
#3 Power dynamic struggle at UP Warriorz
After a promising first season, the UP Warriorz fizzled away in the 2024 season, failing to make it to the playoffs.
The Alyssa Healy-led side had built a strong core, most of which they have retained ahead of the 2025 season. The franchise have always banked on their spin prowess, with the trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad posing to be a versatile and menacing trio.
But relying on spin entirely might lead to a lopsided bowling attack. They do have other options like Chamari Athapaththu, Saima Thakor, and Grace Harris but releasing the likes of S Yashasri and Lauren Bell leaves them in the hunt for a proper spearhead.
Following a difficult second season, there has been pressure on Alyssa Healy as a skipper. The Australian opener has also endured a hard time following Meg Lanning's footsteps as the Women in Yellow were knocked out in the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Only a little spark was needed to ignite rumors that Deepti Sharma could be considered as a captaincy candidate. There were also claims that she was being eyed by another franchise. However, for now, UP Warriorz remain intact with Healy as skipper and Deepti Sharma playing as the all-rounder.