Best playing 11 of WPL 2025 ft. Ellyse Perry, Nat Sciver-Brunt 

The Mumbai Indians (MI) became the first-ever two-time champions of the Women's Premier League (WPL) after defeating the Delhi Capitals (DC) by eight runs in a thrilling final at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday, March 15. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side defended the 150-run target to hand DC their third straight loss in the finals of the competition.

The third season of the WPL witnessed some extraordinary individual displays, with the record for most runs and most wickets in a season being broken in comprehensive fashion. The seasoned campaigners lived up to their reputation, while some new faces also made their mark.

Special mention to Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh Thakur, Georgia Wareham, and Jess Jonassen, who narrowly missed out on making the combined XI. On that note, let us take a look at the best playing XI of WPL 2025.

Top Order: Shafali Verma, Hayley Matthews, and Nat Sciver-Brunt

Shafali Verma being back in her element was one of the overlooked takeaways from the season. The young opening batter came into the tournament after being sidelined from the national squad and made a massive statement. She was the leading run-scorer among Indian batters, recording 304 runs in nine matches at an average of 38.

Hayley Matthews turned the clock back to 2023, with her stunning all-round campaign. After a forgettable 2024 campaign, she returned to her best across both fronts, playing an integral role in MI's success. She finished as the third-highest run-scorer and the joint-highest wicket-taker.

Nat Sciver-Brunt compiled an all-time season with the bat, becoming the first player in WPL history to reach the 500-run mark. She won the Orange Cap with a 152-run lead over second-placed Ellyse Perry. She recorded five fifties in 10 matches and took 12 wickets, cementing her position as one of the leading all-rounders in the world.

Middle Order: Ellyse Perry, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Richa Ghosh (WK)

Ellyse Perry carried RCB's batting unit over the course of the season, scoring 372 runs in eight matches at an average of 93, including four fifties. She was particularly unstoppable during the Bengaluru-leg of the competition, scoring at an average of 115.5, but her efforts were in vain.

MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was at her best while playing as a finisher after the in-form top order inflicted the damage. She played her role to perfection in the middle order, recording 302 runs in 10 matches, with a strike rate of 154.87. Furthermore, her leadership played a key role in MI's title triumph, as she led from the front in the final with her match-winning fifty, which changed the momentum of the contest.

WPL was not a particular tournament to remember for wicket-keepers, who hardly made their presence with the bat.

However, Richa Ghosh was an exception as she starred in the lower middle-order for RCB. The wicket-keeper batter scored 230 runs in eight innings, including a top score of 69 in RCB's record chase against the Gujarat Giants to kick-start the 2025 season.

Lower Order: Amelia Kerr, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Shikha Pandey, and Tanuja Kanwar

Although Amelia Kerr largely played as an opening batter in WPL 2025, it is her bowling returns that speak volumes. She won the Purple Cap after taking 18 wickets and had yet another season to remember. She also bowled a crucial spell in the final, taking the key wickets of Jess Jonassen and Jemimah Rodrigues. Furthermore, as a leg-spinner, she brings variety into this combined playing XI.

Bharti Fulmali, who went under the radar after making a couple of WT20I appearances in 2019, made a flamboyant comeback. Her hitting ability in the death overs was a massive spark for GG as she ended with 133 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 172.72.

After unfortunately missing out on the 2024 campaign due to injury, Kashvee Gautam justified the hype surrounding her with a prolific maiden season. She was instrumental as the lead pacer for GG, ending the league stages as the joint-leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers. She picked up 11 wickets at an average of 18.18 and an economy of 6.45.

Veteran Shikha Pandey played a huge role in yet another dominant run for DC in the league stage. She particularly thrived while bowling at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, as she got the new ball to move around. The pacer ended the campaign with 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.08.

The WPL was in general a poor advertisement for Indian spinners, who failed to make an impression. The best out of the lot, however, was possibly left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwer, who picked up eight wickets at an average of 28.87, and an economy rate of 7.92.