With the IPL retention lists revealed on October 31st, fans are eagerly looking forward to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season. All five WPL teams have now announced their retention lists, with popular players like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Pooja Vastrakar staying with their franchises. However, the release of several other big names has fueled plenty of speculation.
Harmanpreet and Smriti: Leadership Continues
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana will continue as captains for Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), respectively. This decision keeps both players in crucial leadership roles, and now fans are wondering which captain has been retained at a higher price.
Who Leads in Salary?
Smriti Mandhana was retained by RCB for ₹3.4 crore before the first WPL season, maintaining her status as the most expensive player in WPL history. On the other hand, Harmanpreet Kaur was retained by Mumbai Indians at ₹1.8 crore. Both players have been kept at their initial salaries, without any increase after the first season.
WPL Performance Comparison
Looking at their WPL records, Harmanpreet has an impressive tally of 549 runs in 17 matches, averaging 45.75, placing her fourth in overall runs scored in WPL history. Smriti Mandhana follows with 449 runs in 18 matches, ranking her seventh on the all-time run-scorers list.
Here’s how the 5⃣ Teams stand ahead of the #TATAWPL Auction 🙌 pic.twitter.com/IVPttQnl0J
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) November 8, 2024
Captain vs. Vice-Captain
Harmanpreet, India’s national team captain, and Smriti, the vice-captain, both add significant prestige to the upcoming season. As these two icons lead their teams once again, the WPL 2025 season promises thrilling performances and intense competition.