Mumbai Indians (MI) could not defend their Women’s Premier League (WPL) title last year. Fans will expect a stronger performance in 2025. The team looks settled under Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership. At the mini-auction in Bengaluru, they added one overseas player and three promising Indian talents.
Retained squad: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Hayley Matthews, Jintimani Kalita, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Pooja Vastrakar, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia, Shabnim Ismail, Amandeep Kaur, S. Sajana, Keerthana
Mumbai will once again rely heavily on Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, and Harmanpreet. After recent questions about her captaincy, this WPL will be a big opportunity for Harmanpreet to prove herself as a leader. Yastika is currently recovering from an injury but is expected to be fully fit before the competition. Sajana should take up the role of finisher regularly, batting at number six or seven.
Spinner Saika Ishaque had a fantastic debut season in 2023, which earned her a spot in the national team. However, over time, she lost her place and has slipped down the pecking order. This upcoming season will be crucial for Saika to make a strong comeback. Pooja Vastrakar is also expected to be fit by then. She, alongside Shabnim Ismail, will play a key role in leading the pace bowling unit.
New recruitments: Nadine de Klerk (Rs. 30 lakh), G Kamalini (Rs. 1.60 crore), Sanskriti Gupta (Rs. 10 lakh), Akshita Maheshwari (Rs. 20 lakh)
Nadine de Klerk is a well-known allrounder from South Africa. She was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad last season, where she won the WPL trophy. With her power-hitting skills and medium-pacer bowling, she can be a solid backup option if not included in the playing XI.
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G Kamalini made headlines even before the auction. She is currently representing India Under-19 in the U-19 Women’s Asia Cup and impressed with a brilliant knock of 44 off 29 balls against Pakistan. The 16-year-old left-handed wicketkeeper-batter could be a perfect replacement for Yastika Bhatia if her injury remains a concern. For Kamalini, this will be a huge opportunity to learn and grow in the MI camp alongside stars like Sciver-Brunt, Amelia, Harmanpreet, and Hayley.
Another 19-year-old rising talent, Sanskriti Gupta, could be an X-factor with her all-round abilities. In seven T20s so far, the left-handed batter has scored 81 runs at an impressive average of 27.0 and a noteworthy strike rate of 144.64. With her off-spin, she has also taken five wickets at an excellent economy rate of 4.90.
Akshita, from Rajasthan, is another promising all-round option for Harmanpreet Kaur. She is currently playing in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy and recently delivered a standout performance. Akshita picked up four wickets for just 23 runs in 10 overs against Meghalaya, earning the Player of the Match award for her efforts.
Regarding the squad, Mrs Nita M. Ambani, owner of the Mumbai Indians, expressed her satisfaction. Speaking after the auction, she said: “We are all very happy and satisfied with the team we have assembled today.
“Mumbai Indians have always scouted, nurtured, and developed young talent. We’ve done this with our men’s team and aim to do the same for our girls too.” – Nita Ambani.@mipaltan #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #WomensCricket pic.twitter.com/8X1Rb7Mo5U
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) December 16, 2024
“Auctions are exciting and emotional at the same time. I am so proud of all the girls who have participated in the auction today and all the girls who have now become part of the Mumbai Indians family: G Kamalini, Nadine de Klerk, Sanskriti Gupta, and Akshita Maheshwari.
“We warmly welcome you to the Mumbai Indians family. Mumbai Indians has always tried to scout, nurture and develop young talent. We have done this with our men’s team and it is a proud feeling to see Bumrah, Hardik and now Tilak representing India on the global stage. We are trying to do the same thing with our girls too. Last year, we picked Sajana up in the auction. It’s wonderful to see her now playing for Team India,” she further added.
Talking about Kamalini, Mrs Ambani said, “This year we are very excited about the 16-year-old Kamalini. Our scouts have been tracking her for some time and she is a very exciting new talent to look out for. So, in all, a satisfying day at the auction.”
Overall, Mumbai will enter another WPL season as one of the favourites with their settled squad. However, one area of concern for Harmanpreet could be the spin bowling unit. Hayley and Saika are likely the two spinners who are assured of a spot in the playing XI. As a frontline spinner, Saika will need to bring back her best form to strengthen the bowling attack and help Mumbai secure their second WPL title.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Also Read: RCB in WPL 2025 Mini Auction: Strong core, Promising youngsters, but no backup for Richa