Predicting the top 3 teams at the end of the WPL 2025 league stage 

The 2025 Women's Premier League (WPL) will kickstart with a clash between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Gujarat Giants (GG) in Vadodara on Friday, February 14. The event comes across as a huge avenue for players to have a crack at the subcontinent conditions ahead of the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup in India.

The five franchises made their retentions and polished their squads during the mini-auction in the off-season period. The tournament's expansion continues with a total of four cities assigned to host the matches, coming a long way from when the entire tournament was staged in a solitary city across a couple of venues.

With two teams poised to be eliminated from the tournament after the league phase, the tussle for the three available spots is expected to be intense. The team finishing at the top of the points table will earn a berth in the final, while the second and the third-placed team will have to play each other in a knockout Eliminator clash.

On that note, let us take a look at the three teams that might progress in the WPL 2025.

#1 Mumbai Indians

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will be viewing the previous season as an anomaly after failing to defend their title. The key players not stepping up like in the inaugural edition made MI a shadow of their former self, and led to their elimination.

The lack of form does not diminish a winning combination, and the key players of the MI side had a memorable off-season to return as better versions of themselves.

Star all-rounder Amelia Kerr was named the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year recently after playing a monumental role in New Zealand's historic 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Sajeevan Sajana will be much more confident in her role as finisher after making her international debut after the WPL. Furthermore, star all-rounders Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews, who are so crucial to MI's fate, are also in good touch.

All in all, MI have all the ingredients in store to soar once again after their minor blip last season. Barring any abnormalities that make the last edition's anomaly an achievement, MI should coast into the top three, if not win the title.

#2 Delhi Capitals

Two-time finalists in the WPL, DC's combination has clicked more often than not. Meg Lanning's prowess as batter and skipper, a strong Indian core of Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, and Shikha Pandey, along with star overseas players like Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, it is a team meant for the top three, if not the title.

The franchise have key players in good form coming into the tournament. Meg Lanning had a disastrous Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) campaign, but has found some rhythm in the Women's National Cricket League. Shafali Verma has also overcome the setback of being dropped from the Indian team by having a brilliant campaign in the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy.

Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp offer a lot of balance with their all-round abilities. A minor concern comes in the form of Alice Capsey's form, considering the important role she plays in the DC setup.

However, a proven combination coupled with the fact they know how to string wins together puts them in line for yet another top three finish.

#3 Gujarat Giants

The franchise have made some radical changes from top to bottom after failing to qualify in both WPL editions so far. They parted ways with members of the coaching staff in the form of Mithali Raj and Nooshin Al Khadeer, released star all-rounder Sneh Rana, and appointed Ashleigh Gardner as their new captain.

Apart from the off-season changes, the Gujarat Giants boast a very settled line-up. In the past form and injuries have not been kind to them. Beth Mooney and Harleen Deol missed the majority of the first and second season respectively.

This time around, the timing seems right for the franchise with both aforementioned players flourishing. Mooney had a landmark Ashes series and was crowned T20I player of the year during the Cricket Australia awards, while Deol had a fine run during India's home series against Ireland.

The likes of Laura Wolvaardt and Deandra Dottin had brilliant T20 World Cup campaigns, and have maintained their form since. Skipper Ashleigh Gardner is also in good touch, paving the way for the franchise to finish in the top three for the first time in history. Lastly, the team will be encouraged playing with a home crowd for the first time, and that is bound to be reflected in their performances.