The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 retention deadline has arrived, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are set to announce their list of retained players following a historic title win last season. Led by Smriti Mandhana, RCB showed immense character and skill to clinch the WPL 2024 championship. With their core players playing crucial roles, it’s likely the franchise will prioritize retaining its top performers while strategically releasing underwhelming players to maximize their 15 crore INR purse for the upcoming mini-auction.
Smriti Mandhana
Sabbineni Meghana
Richa Ghosh
Georgia Wareham
Shreyanka Patil
Asha Sobhana
Renuka Singh
Sophie Devine
Ekta Bisht
Kate Cross
Kanika Ahuja
Dani Wyatt – Traded from UP-W
Disha Kasat
Indrani Roy
Nadine de Klerk
Shuba Satheesh
Shraddha Pokarkar
Simran Bahadur
At the heart of RCB’s triumphant campaign were skipper Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Ellyse Perry, both indispensable assets for the team. Mandhana’s aggressive leadership style and batting prowess set the tone for RCB’s successful run, while Perry’s experience and versatility made her an all-round match-winner. As two of the league’s biggest names, their retention is almost certain, with Mandhana and Perry expected to be RCB’s core going into the WPL 2025 season.
Several other players stepped up last season, solidifying their positions on the retention list. Richa Ghosh, who showcased exceptional batting skills with 257 runs at a high strike rate of 142, stands out as a reliable wicketkeeper-batswoman. Her power-hitting ability has made her one of India’s rising stars, making her an essential player for RCB.
Another key contributor was Shreyanka Patil, whose all-round skills added depth to the team’s lineup. Patil, along with Asha Sobhana and Sophie Devine, provided the right balance in both batting and bowling, ensuring RCB’s consistent performance throughout the season. Devine’s aggressive stroke play and game-changing performances made her an obvious retention choice, adding international expertise to RCB’s roster.
The foreign player slots in the WPL are highly competitive, and RCB is likely to retain Sophie Molineux and Kate Cross for their impact on the field. Molineux’s spin-bowling ability and her knack for containing runs in critical moments were assets during the WPL 2024 season. On the other hand, Kate Cross, a seasoned pacer, provided much-needed stability to the bowling attack, making her another probable retention.
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