Eight England players are hoping to be bought in Sunday’s Women’s Premier League auction ahead of the third instalment of the T20 competition in India in 2025.
They include captain Heather Knight, fellow batter Maia Bouchier, seamers Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer and leg-spinner Sarah Glenn.
There are a maximum of five spots available for overseas players – and 29 cricketers fighting for those places – as the five franchises complete their squads.
Here we look at why the English eight may be in the thinking of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and inaugural winners Mumbai Indians, as well as Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Titans…
Lauren Bell
Six feet tall and with the ability to swing the ball prodigiously, Bell ought to be a shoo-in for selection. She was picked up by UP Warriorz for the inaugural competition in 2023, but didn’t play a game and then withdrew last year to aid her preparations for the T20 World Cup and Ashes. With a base price of 30 lahks (£27,400), she could be of interest again to the Warriorz, who are led by England head coach Jon Lewis. Her lack of experience in India could hamper her – she has two wickets in two T20s on the subcontinent.
Maia Bouchier
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Watch the best of Maia Bouchier’s 62 not out against Scotland at the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup
A stylish top-order batter, Bouchier has become a mainstay of England’s limited-overs teams. Striking at over 120 across her 42 T20 internationals, the Southern Vipers star has adjusted well to top-level cricket. She was out for a first-ball duck in her only appearance in India last year, but her overall record away from home is better than her record in England, so she could adjust well if someone took a punt on her.
Danielle Gibson
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England all-rounder Danielle Gibson bowled New Zealand’s Sophie Devine with a superb delivery this summer
Bowling all-rounder Gibson is still finding her feet in the international game, but could be a smart pick. She was a regular for Adelaide Strikers last year as they won the Women’s Big Bash League, scoring some crucial middle-order runs and taking valuable wickets. It would be more of a surprise if she was picked up than if she wasn’t, but Strikers coach Luke Williams at Royal Challengers Bengaluru could be tempted.
Sarah Glenn
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England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn clean bowled four South Africa batters as she helped the tourists clinch a T20 series win recently
Often operating in the shadow of Sophie Ecclestone, Glenn is nonetheless a crucial cog in England’s spin-bowling unit, both home and away. She has a solid record in Asia, taking 10 wickets in nine matches at 17.60, bowling with skill and control. She’s also handy with the bat, and able to hit useful lower-order runs, which could convince a team to bring her in.
Heather Knight
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Check out the best of Knight’s 65 for London Spirit against Southern Brave in the 2024 edition of The Hundred
One of the most experienced players in world cricket, it would be a major surprise if the England captain did not earn a contract. She was a regular for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first season, but opted out last year to manage her workload. That resulted in Knight being thrown back into the lottery of the auction and with a base price of 50 lakh, she is among the more expensive players, but someone with her skill and leadership experience is likely to find a buyer.
Sophia Dunkley
Sophia Dunkley, seen here batting for Welsh Fire in The Hundred, has a good record in India
A drop in form saw Dunkley left out of England’s series against Pakistan earlier in the year, but she’s worked her way back into the squad and will hope to stay there. She starred for Gujarat Giants in the inaugural WPL season, hitting the competition’s fastest fifty, but then was released and ruled herself out of the 2024 auction. A thrilling batter on her day, you’d expect someone to be interested.
Lauren Filer
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England quick Lauren Filer bowled South Africa’s Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus in the second ODI in Durban this month
Express pace is hard to find and that is exactly what Filer has in abundance. This year’s auction may come a bit early in her career for the seamer to get picked up by a team, with so many high-quality players on the market and so few positions. However, if she continues firing down rockets for England and in domestic cricket, a big contract could happen soon.
Paige Scholfield
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Highlights of Paige Scholfield’s 71 from 40 balls for Oval Invincibles against Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred
Scholfield finally earned her first call-up to the international stage in September, after years of knocking on the door due to her performances with Southern Vipers, Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles. In her two T20 internationals to date, against Ireland in September, she batted at a strike rate of 150 so knows how to get a move on.