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The WPL 2024 bandwagon commences with the defending champions Mumbai Indians facing off against the Delhi Capitals in Bangalore on February 23.
Last year's inaugural WPL season lived up to its pre-season hype, with players across the globe producing scintillating performances to enhance the popularity of women's cricket. While the Delhi Capitals finished on top of the points table, the eventual winners, Mumbai Indians, were a close second on net run rate.
The UP Warriorz finished third, followed by the two teams who missed the playoffs, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Giants (GG). Following a busy off-season that included several roster changes during the WPL auction, the teams are ready to battle again in the second edition of the marquee tournament.
Like any other T20 league, the WPL also offers an opportunity for upcoming players to stamp their authority and become a household name in the cricketing world. The packed houses in India also present young overseas players with an incredible platform to showcase their skills and win matches for their franchises.
On that note, here is a look at the five biggest young overseas talents to watch out for in the WPL 2024.
#1 Phoebe Litchfield
Last year was inarguably Australia batter Phoebe Litchfield's season, with the left-hander scoring runs for fun across formats.
After making her T20I debut at the end of 2022, the 20-year-old played her maiden Test and ODI for Australia last year. While Phoebe is yet to produce magic in red-ball cricket, her exploits in the white-ball formats have been other-worldly.
In 17 ODIs, the youngster scored 635 runs at an average of 48.84 and a strike rate of 82.04 with two centuries and four half-centuries. Phoebe's T20I numbers are even better, with a batting average of 37.80 at a strike rate of over 170 in 11 outings.
It led to the Gujarat Giants acquiring her services for a whopping ₹1 crore for the upcoming WPL season. With the ability to open the batting and play in the middle order, the franchise will hope Phoebe sparks the much-needed turnaround from their last-placed finish a year ago.
#2 Annabel Sutherland
Australian pace-bowling all-rounder Annabel Sutherland will be eager to make amends for a dismal WPL 2023 season. Playing for the Gujarat Giants, the 22-year-old scored a paltry 28 runs in four innings and picked up only three wickets at an economy of over 11.
Sutherland's dismal showing meant the franchise released her during the off-season. However, in a mission to right the wrongs of the WPL, she produced a spellbinding run in ODIs and Tests for Australia from the second half of 2023.
Sutherland scored a 137* against England in the Women's Ashes and recently produced a double century in the one-off Test against South Africa. She also picked up eight wickets in three Tests during that stretch.
The talented all-rounder enjoyed tremendous success in ODIs last year, averaging almost 44 with the bat and under 23 with the ball in 13 outings.
Sutherland also starred with the ball in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) last year, picking up 23 wickets at an average of 15.08 in 14 games for the Melbourne Stars. In addition, she also scored over 200 runs at an average of 22.15 and a strike rate of 118.03.
During the auction, the Delhi Capitals went all out for Sutherland and survived a bidding war against the Mumbai Indians (MI) to acquire her services for ₹2 crore. Should the youngster continue her impressive form in the 2024 WPL, the Capitals will be favorites to go one step further this time and clinch their maiden title.
#3 Issy Wong
English pace sensation Issy Wong set WPL 2023 on fire with her ability to rattle the opposition lineup.
Playing for the Mumbai Indians, she picked up 15 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 14 and an economy of under 6.50, finishing as the third-leading wicket-taker in the competition last year.
Wong produced arguably the moment of WPL 2023 when she picked up a hat-trick in the Eliminator to help MI advance to the grand finale. The Middlesex-born cricketer also finished with match-winning figures of 4/15 in four overs.
Despite the heroics, Wong played only one T20I for England last year and has been left out of the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand. The 21-year-old will look to prove that her heroics in the WPL last year were no fluke and stake a claim in the national side.
The youngster also scored valuable runs in WPL 2023 at an average of over 15 and a strike rate of 132.60. Wong will be among the vital cogs in the MI lineup as they look to make it back-to-back titles.
#4 Kathryn Bryce
Scotland all-rounder Kathryn Bryce will be the lone flagbearer for the associate nations in this season's WPL. She will look to follow in the footsteps of Tara Norris, who became the first associate player to play in the WPL last year. Norris also picked up a five-fer in her very first game.
Picked up by the Gujarat Giants for ₹10 lakh at the auction, Bryce has played 40 T20Is and three ODIs for Scotland since debuting in 2018. She was also the ICC Associate Player of the Decade for the 2010s.
A middle-order batter with an effective medium-pace bowling style, the 26-year-old boasts incredible T20I numbers with bat and ball. With over 1,000 runs, Bryce averages 36.42 at a strike rate of 102.82 in 40 games.
She has also picked up 37 wickets at an incredible average of 15.08 and an economy of 4.35.
The WPL is a massive stage for young players from associate nations to display their talents, and Bryce will look to do just that for the Giants.
#5 Alice Capsey
Considering her prominence already in the England white-ball setup, it is easy to forget that Alice Capsey is still a teenager.
Having debuted for England in the white-ball formats in 2022, the 19-year-old has played 24 ODIs and 10 T20Is. While Capsey's ODI numbers are still underwhelming, her T20I average of almost 22 at a strike rate of 131.03 is promising.
Capsey also played a crucial role in helping the Delhi Capitals finish on top after the group stage with 159 runs at an average of 26.50 and a blistering strike rate of almost 156.
Despite a disappointing 2023 season for England, Capsey will look to reestablish herself as one of the best short-format batters in the world in the 2024 WPL.
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