In this article, we present to you our pick of the top 5 domestic players who we believe can make a difference for their respective teams in the 2025 season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Women’s cricket has gained massive popularity over the past few years thanks in part to the advent of the WPL, with international tournaments like the recently-concluded U19 Women’s T20 World Cup bringing to the fore new talent every so often. This year, we’re again set to see new faces along with the many experienced ones in the Women’s Premier League.
Simran Shaikh | Gujarat Giants
Simran Shaikh is a 23-year-old batter recently bought by the Gujarat Giants in the WPL mini-auction for INR 1.9 crore. She was part of the UP Warriorz setup last season but failed to impress.
Shaikh has scored 822 runs in 56 T20 matches in the domestic circuit at a strike rate of 120.35. She plays for Mumbai in the domestic circuit and is an aggressive batter who can hit powerful shots and clear long boundaries. A top-order batter, Shaikh can play in the middle order as well. She is also a handy leg-break bowler.
Even though she didn’t perform up to expectations in her first WPL season, the youngster has the potential to succeed and entertain with her aggressive batting style this time around.
Kamalini Gunalan | Mumbai Indians
Kamalini is a 16-year-old Tamil Nadu batter who impressed the Mumbai Indians so much that they shelled out a massive INR 1.6 crore for her services. She is regarded as one of the brightest talents in women’s cricket in the country at the moment.
In the U19 Women’s T20 Trophy, Kamalini finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 311 runs in eight matches, leading Tamil Nadu to the title. She was also part of Team India for the recent U19 T20 World Cup, which India successfully retained. Kamalini came to limelight with a crucial knock of 29-ball 44 in a decisive run chase against Pakistan in the U19 Asia Cup held in Malaysia last year.
Still only 16, Kamalini has a massive future ahead of her. Promising performances in her debut WPL season could help her knock on the door for selection in the senior Indian national team as well.
WPL 2025: 5 International players to watch out for
Prema Rawat | Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Prema Rawat is an uncapped 23-year-old all-rounder who was bagged by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a whopping INR 1.2 crore in the WPL mini-auction.
Rawat represents Uttarakhand in the domestic circuit and has slowly and steadily risen through the ranks. She is a right-handed lower-order batter, a leg-break bowler, and a top-class fielder. She has played 21 T20 domestic matches, in which she has batted in only eight innings so far, scoring 47 runs. Her bowling stats are far more engaging, though, as she has 24 wickets in 21 matches with an average of 15.8 and a best figure of 4/17. Her batting numbers might not look so good, but she has the ability to rise to the occasion with the bat as well with crucial cameos.
Rawat can be a good leg-spin option on Indian pitches and offer a decisive batting edge lower down the order for the RCB. She could prove to be an astute signing for the reigning WPL champions.
Nandini Kashyap | Delhi Capitals
Nandini Kashyap is a 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Uttarakhand. She has also represented India at the U19 level. Kashyap’s stats in T20s in the last year have been mighty impressive. Playing for Team E and the Uttarakhand Women’s team, she amassed 579 runs with an average of 57.9 and a strike rate of 131.89 in 12 matches.
Due to her recent performances in the domestic circuit, the Delhi Capitals added Kashyap to their squad for her base price of INR 10 lakh for the upcoming WPL season. Going by her form, this could turn out to be a bargain for the Capitals.
Raghvi Bist | Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Raghvi Bist is another up-and-coming young player from Uttarakhand. The 20-year-old all-rounder is a promising batter who has impressed one and all with her recent performances.
In August last year, she was selected for the India A team for a tour to Australia. She scored three half-centuries on the tour in unofficial ODIs against Australia A. Bist received her maiden Team India call-up in December and played two games against the West Indies, scoring a 31 not out in the third T20I. In the final of 2024 Women’s Challenger Trophy, she scored a half-century (71 runs off 51 balls) and her team (Team E) won the title. For her match-winning performance, she was awarded Player of the Match.
The RCB added Bist to their squad the base price of INR 10 lakh for the coming season. This could prove to be a bargain signing for the Royal Challengers, as Bist has shown commendable consistency in her recent performances and could be one of the surprise packages of the coming WPL season.
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