WPL auction for 2024 season scheduled for December 9 in Mumbai

The player auction for the 2024 season of WPL is set to be held in Mumbai on December 9. ESPNcricinfo has learned that an additional purse of INR 1.5 crore (approx. US $180,228) will be available to each of the five teams in addition to the balance amount left from last auction as well as from player releases.

Overall, 30 slots - including nine overseas - are available to be filled at the day-long auction. Recently, 60 players were retained overall, including 21 overseas by the five franchises, while 29 were released. The amount derived from the releases along with the balance left from last auction will be added to the fresh purse of INR 1.5 crore.

In the inaugural WPL season, teams had INR 12 crore (approx. US $1.44million) to assemble squads, an amount which was exhausted by two of the five teams: defending champions Mumbai Indians, and UP Warriorz. Of the remaining three teams, Gujarat Giants had INR 5 lakhs (approx. US $6007), Delhi Capitals had INR 35 lakhs (approx. US $42,053), and Royal Challengers Bangalore INR 10 lakhs (approx. US $12,015) left as balance.

Giants, who had finished at the bottom of the points table last season, have released nearly half their squad, and will have the highest purse of INR 5.95 crore (approx. US $714,904) with ten slots - including three overseas - available to be filled. Warriorz, who finished mid-table, have INR 4 crore (approx. US $480,608) to fill up five slots including one overseas. They are followed by Royal Challengers, who finished fourth, with INR 3.35 crore (approx. US $402,509) to fill seven slots including three overseas.

Capitals, last season's runner-up, will have INR 2.25 crore (approx. US $270,342) to fill three slots, including one overseas. Mumbai will have the smallest purse among the five franchises, INR 2.1 crore (approx. US $252,319), to fill five slots including one overseas.

The WPL was an instant success in the inaugural season, with the best players, barring from Pakistan, featuring in the tournament which comprised 22 matches, and was played at three venues in Mumbai. The BCCI has not yet communicated to the franchises the tournament dates for the second edition, and whether the tournament would be played in the home-and-away format across multiple venues, or in a single city like last season.

At last year's auction, seven players earned bids as high as INR 2 crore, and three breached the INR 3-crore mark - Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.4 crore), Ashleigh Gardner (INR 3.2 crore) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (INR 3.2 crore).