3 unsold England players who should have fetched bids at WPL Auction 2023
The inaugural WPL Auction 2023 saw quite a few stars from England fetch deals for the marquee event, which is set to be played in March. It was a pretty good payday for some of their stalwarts and headlining the list was Natalie Sciver-Brunt, who was bought by the Mumbai Indians for ₹ 3.2 crore.
The likes of Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, and Sophie Ecclestone too, found takers, as did skipper Heather Knight, who will turn out for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Having said that, there were some shocking omissions as well, with certain England players who remain mainstays in the national setup not being considered at the WPL Auction 2023.
On that note let's take a look at three England players who should have fetched a deal at the auction:
#1 Danni Wyatt
Congrats to all who got picked up. India is a wonderful place to play cricketDreamt of playing in the WPL. Heartbroken 💔 Congrats to all who got picked up. India is a wonderful place to play cricket
Opening batter Danni Wyatt is amongst the biggest match-winners in the women's game today. Her record speaks for herself, having amassed 2276 runs in T20Is at a strike rate of 124.50.
Wyatt was expected to slot into one of the five teams as their frontline opening batter. Yet, she failed to generate a bid at the WPL auction 2023 and was easily one of the biggest shock exclusions.
The fact that she could chip in with some off-spin once the pitch starts to wear out also didn't have an impact on the think tanks.
#2 Katherine Sciver-Brunt
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Katherine Brunt becomes England Women's highest ever wicket-taker!
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A bona fide legend of the sport, Katherine Sciver-Brunt continues to lead England's bowling attack even in what seems to be the last leg of her career. The 37-year-old seamer can hit hard lengths and swing the new ball, while boasting experience aplenty to count upon.
Add to that the fact that she can tonk the ball a long way and you wonder if teams could have considered making a bid for her at the WPL auction 2023.
With a team like the Gujarat Giants missing out on a bowling leader, Sciver-Brunt would have fit into the team like a glove.
#3 Kate Cross
Fast-bowler Kate Cross hasn't played a T20I since 2019 but has been a regular for England in the ODI setup. She is also a part of the T20 World Cup contingent, albeit as a backup seamer at the moment.
The 31-year-old medium-pacer is known to rely on accurate lines and lengths and has also played in India before at the Women's T20 Challenge. Her experience would have made her a good fit for any team at the WPL auction 2023, but it wasn't to be.
It is also worth mentioning that Cross is a popular name amongst the fans and would have been an instant hit had she fetched a bid.
Which England player were you most surprised to see going unsold at the WPL auction 2023? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: 3 unsold Australian players who should have fetched bids at the WPL Auction 2023