3 overseas players who could have listed their base price at ₹50 lakh for the WPL 2023 auction

The list of players for the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 auction was announced by the BCCI on Tuesday, February 7. The buzz is palpable ahead of the event, which is scheduled to take place on Monday, February 13, in Mumbai.

409 players are set to go under the hammer, with 14 of them listed as marquee players in sets of seven each. Out of the entire set of 409, 246 Indians and 163 overseas players will be up for grabs, which also includes eight players from Associate nations.

Each of the five franchises can have up to 18 players in their ranks, including six overseas players, with a total salary cap of ₹12 crore to spend.

While a number of A-listers such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Devine, among others, have listed themselves in the highest bracket of ₹50 lakh, there are many others who have chosen to slot themselves in at a lower base price.

Let's look at three overseas players who could have listed themselves in the highest base price category of ₹50 lakh for the WPL 2023 auction.

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#1 Tahlia McGrath

The ICC Women's T20I Player of the Year winner for 2022, Tahlia McGrath is amongst the world's finest all-rounders today. She also led Australia towards the back end of their series in India in December 2022, much after enjoying a fine run at the Commonwealth Games.

McGrath is listed in the second marquee set for the WPL 2023 auction. Surprisingly, though, she has listed herself in the ₹40 lakh bracket when she could have gone for the highest rung of ₹50 lakh. Her name coming out a lot earlier in the auction as compared to some of the others in the subsequent sets ought to see her fetch a massive bid at the WPL 2023 auction.

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#2 Beth Mooney

McGrath's partner-in-crime in the Australian setup, Beth Mooney, is easily one of the world's top batters in the women's game. Her unparalleled consistency, coupled with the fact that she can double up as a wicket-keeper, is bound to see her command a lot of attention at the WPL 2023 auction.

Among overseas players, at least, it won't be a surprise should Mooney end amongst the highest earners by the end of the auction. She also bagged the Belinda Clark Award for the best Australian international in the women's game during the recent Australian Cricket Awards.

All of this put together makes it rather surprising that Mooney hasn't listed herself in the ₹50 lakh category, opting for the next highest bracket instead.

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#3 Marizanne Kapp

It was quite a surprise to see Marizanne Kapp's name missing in both the marquee sets for the WPL 2023 auction. The South African superstar is easily one of the world's finest all-rounders and is known to deliver consistently across departments.

Kapp has been listed in the second set of all-rounders and has slotted herself in the ₹40 lakh bracket. Despite coming in much later in the auction, you'd think she would have fetched the same kind of demand she is expected to had she listed herself in the ₹50 lakh base price category.

Either way, expect a windfall to ensue once her name comes up for bidding at the WPL 2023 auction. All-rounders are worth their weight in gold, and you don't get too many better than Kapp.

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Which other overseas player did you expect to have a base price of ₹50 lakh for the WPL 2023 auction? Have your say below in the comments section!

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