Top 3 associate players who could get a bid at WPL 2024 Auction ft. Tara Norris

The auction of the Women's Premier League, slated to take place on December 9 in Mumbai, is bound to throw up a host of exciting players our way.

All the players who have registered themselves for it will hope to get picked by the five franchises on offer, but it is practically not feasible to accommodate them all.

The franchises have just 30 slots available to them, of which only nine are reserved for foreigners.

A total of 165 players have registered themselves for the auction, out of which 104 are Indians and 61 are overseas professionals. Fifteen out of the 61 are from associate nations.

We take a look at three players from associate nations who can get a bid from the franchises:

#1 Tara Norris (USA)

Tara Norris of the USA stands a very good chance of winning a bid in the WPL auction. The left-arm seamer offers a lot of variety with her bowling and allows the franchise that bids for her the opportunity to pick up wickets early on in the innings.

Norris has the ability to swing the new ball as well as employ cutters later on in the game. She came into the limelight when she became the Southern Vipers' second-highest wicket-taker in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in the competition's inaugural season in 2020. She bagged 12 scalps at 17.9 that season.

The 25-year-old has a bright future ahead with her swinging deliveries back into the right-handers and the WPL teams would do well to pick her up.

#2 Natthakan Chantham (Thailand)

Nathhakan Chantham of Thailand. (LatestLY)

Nathhakan Chantham is often touted to be one of the best young talents to come through women's cricket of late, especially from associate nations. She is known to time the ball sweetly and use her feet nicely against spinners.

The 27-year-old can offer a lot of class and grace to whichever WPL franchise bids for her, and it will be interesting to see how she adapts to the Indian conditions.

Chantham is known to play spin well, but since she has been exposed to very little top-quality seam bowling, it remains to be seen how she fares against it. She has already played in nine WODIs and 77 WT20Is for Thailand and her experience will make her a valuable acquisition in the WPL.

#3 Esha Oza (United Arab Emirates)

Esha Oza of the United Arab Emirates. (ICC)

Born in Mumbai, Esha Oza will hope to bag a WPL contract in the auction this season. The all-rounder, who plies her trade for the United Arab Emirates in international cricket, has already played in 68 WT20Is for them.

Oza, who is also the captain of the UAE team at the moment, will prove to be a valuable acquisition in the WPL owing to her all-round skills. She is more than a decent batter, which her two centuries and six half-centuries in the format showcase.

Her main skill, however, lies in her bowling, with which she has picked up 46 wickets. The gentle off-spinner is known to pitch the ball in the right areas with an accuracy that foxes even the most revered of opponents. This will make her a good buy in the WPL.