WPL 2023: Best XI from unsold players at auction

The eagerly-awaited player auction of the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League culminated on February 13. T20 stars from around the globe went under the hammer and franchises left no stone turned to acquire them. Smriti Mandhana, Ashleigh Gardner, and Nat Sciver-Brunt were the biggest earners at the marquee event. Of the 449 players who featured at the WPL 2023 auction, only 87 of them were able to fetch contracts. There were some established performers of the international arena who failed to garner attention from either of the franchises at the auction. Here we form the best XI from the cricketers who could not find any bidders at the marquee event. Here is the best unsold XI: 1. Chamari Athapaththu Chamari Athapaththu has been a giant of a player in world cricket. She has tormented bowlers with her marauding bat and amassed truckloads of runs across formats. On her day, the veteran batter has taken down even the best of bowlers and stamped her authority on the cricket field. Athapaththu has made 90 appearances for Sri Lanka in the 50-over format and aggregated 2840 runs at an average of 31.91. When it comes to the T20Is, the flamboyant cricketer has notched up 2299 runs in 110 matches at a strike rate of 102.58. Besides her batting prowess, the 33-year-old is quite handy with the ball and has chipped in with crucial wickets as and when required. Athapaththu has been phenomenal in the international circuit and could have taken the WPL 2023 by storm. However, no franchise was interested in signing her at the auction. 2. Suzie Bates Suzie Bates is one of the finest cricketers that New Zealand cricket has produced. She has piled on 5267 runs in 148 ODIs at an average of 41.47 and bagged 75 wickets at an economy of 4.95. Coming to the shortest format, the 35-year-old has accumulated 3820 runs in 143 games at a strike rate of 109.70 and picked up 55 scalps at an economy of 6.60. Bates is known for holding the innings together and has allowed stroke makers around her to play with freedom. Also, she has shown the aggressive aspect of her game and put bowling attacks under the pump with her flamboyant stroke play. On the bowling front, the Dunedin-born has provided the White Ferns with timely breakthroughs. Bates, with her ability to contribute in both departments, is an asset to any side. However, when she went under the hammer at the WPL 2023 auction, no franchise raise their paddle to acquire her services and thus, the ace all-rounder went unsold at the marquee event. 3. Laura Wolvaardt Laura Wolvaardt is one of those players who have made heads turn every time they have stepped on the field. The ace batter has put up an exhibition of her glorious stroke play and provided South Africa with brisk starts on a consistent basis. Wolvaardt has made 80 appearances for her national side in the 50-over format and scored 3193 runs at an average of 45.61. Coming to the shortest format, the 23-year-old has scored 899 runs in 50 matches at a strike rate of 106.89. Wolvaardt’s batting might was on display in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2022-23 as she smashed 403 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 106.05. She was in pristine touch leading up to the auction and it was anticipated that WPL franchises would be interested in signing her. However, it was not meant to be and the dashing stroke maker went unsold at the marquee event. 4. Danni Wyatt Danni Wyatt has been a lynchpin of England’s batting line-up for over a decade. The 31-year-old has featured in 102 ODIs and scored 1776 runs at a strike rate of 87.35. Talking about the shortest format, she has scored 2276 runs in 141 T20Is at a strike rate of 124.43. Wyatt has all the shots in the book and has dismantled top-quality bowling line-ups with her stroke play. The England batter was exceptional in the recently culminated T20I series against the West Indies and smashed 140 runs in three games at a strike rate of 140.62. Wyatt has shown her class in the international arena time and time again and could have thrived in the upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League. However, the Staffordshire-born did not find any buyers at the WPL 2023 auction. 5. Sune Luus Sune Luus has been a proven performer in the international arena. She has acted as a floater in the middle order and played many sensational innings for the side. On the bowling front, she has been a smart customer with the ball and provided South Africa with timely breakthroughs. Luus has scored 1799 runs in 106 ODIs at an average of 24.31 and bagged 115 wickets at an economy of 4.47. Coming to the shortest format, the batting all-rounder has scored 1072 runs in 99 matches and picked up 49 scalps at an economy of 6.54. Apart from her all-round skills, Luus is a brilliant reader of the game and has shown her captaincy credentials in the international arena. The right-handed batter offers a complete package to any side but the WPL franchises were not inclined towards picking her at the auction. 6. Amy Jones Amy Jones is an integral part of the England team across formats. Jones has represented her national side on 76 occasions in the 50-over format and scored 1593 runs at an average of 27.00. Talking about the T20Is, she has notched up 1201 runs in 83 matches at a strike rate of 119.74. Jones has taken the attack to the opposition right from the get-go and helped change the momentum of the game in the favour of her side on many occasions. Also, she has been lightning-quick behind the stumps and is a force to be reckoned with due to her brilliant glovework. Jones is one of the finest wicketkeeper batters in the international arena at the moment and it was expected that franchises would be interested in signing her at the auction. However, the flamboyant cricketer did not attract any bids at the marquee event. 7. Katherine Sciver-Brunt Katherine Sciver-Brunt is one of the finest pacers England cricket has produced. She has troubled batters with her swing and wreaked havoc with the ball. Further, The 37-year-old is no muck with the bat and has played some crucial cameos slotting in lower down the order. Brunt has bagged 170 wickets in 141 ODIs at an economy of 3.57 and smashed 1090 runs in those outings. She has been superb in the shortest format too, picking up 112 wickets in 110 games at an economy of 5.57 and scoring 590 runs at a strike rate of 113.46. Brunt has carried the mantle of England’s bowling attack for over a decade. Her addition brings a wealth of experience to any side and one would have thought that WPL teams would be interested in roping her into their sides. However, that was not the case and the veteran cricketer went unsold at the auction. 8. Lea Tahuhu Lea Tahuhu has been a consistent performer in the international arena. She has featured in 84 ODIs and bagged 94 wickets at an economy of 4.48. When it comes to the shortest format, the 32-year-old has bagged 72 wickets in 75 games at an economy of 5.98. Tahuhu has been impeccable with the ball in all phases of the innings, be it during the powerplay, middle-overs, or at the death. The right-arm pacer has been New Zealand’s go-to bowler when in need of wickets and she has delivered on most occasions. Tahuhu was in a rich vein of form leading into the WPL 2023 auction, having picked up 12 wickets in five matches in the last edition of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield. Thus, one would have thought that many WPL teams would be inclined towards adding her to their arsenal. However, not a single franchise placed a bid to acquire her at the auction. 9. Ayabonga Khaka Ayabonga Khaka has been a bankable name in the international arena. She has made the ball talk at the start of the innings and provided her side with early breakthroughs. Also, she has been sensational with the ball in the slog overs and strangled batters with her variations. ODI cricket has been her happy hunting ground and she has bagged 113 wickets in 87 matches at an economy of 4.14. The ace pacer has also fared well in the shortest format, picking up 41 scalps in 47 matches at an economy of 6.28. Khaka has the ability to bowl at any phase of the game, making her a valuable addition to any side. However, when the South African seamer went under the hammer at the WPL 2023 auction, no franchise raised their paddle to rope her into their side. 10. Alana King Alana King has set the international arena ablaze from the time she donned the national colours. The 27-year-old is known for spinning webs around the opposition and ripping through batting line-ups. Courtesy of her sensational performances, she has become an important member of the Australian side. Alana has played 15 ODIs and picked up 17 wickets at an economy of 4.25. When it comes to the shortest format, the ace spinner has bagged 21 wickets in 22 matches at an economy of 6.29. Alana weaved magic with the ball in the Women’s Big Bash League 2022 and took 17 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 5.91. She is a genuine wicket-taker and her presence can simply add more bite to any bowling attack. Surprisingly, there were no takers for the Australian leg-spinner at the WPL 2023 auction. 11. Afy Fletcher Afy Fletcher has been a regular feature in the West Indies team across formats. She has featured in 63 matches in the 50-over format and picked up 74 wickets at an economy of 4.06. In the T20Is, the 35-year-old has bagged 55 wickets in 68 matches at an economy of 5.86. Fletcher has been entrusted to provide regular breakthroughs in the middle phases of the innings and she has played the role to perfection. The Grenada-born has also shown her ability to bowl in the powerplay and thus, offers versatility with the ball. Fletcher is an experienced campaigner and it was anticipated that WPL franchises would go after her at the auction to bolster their spin departments. However, no team pondered over adding her to their repertoire and the West Indies cricketer went unsold at the marquee event. For a better experience: Download the CricTracker app from the IOS App Store and Google Play Store

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WPL 2023: Best XI from unsold players at auction

There were some top-drawer players who couldn't garner attention from any of the five franchises at the WPL 2023 auction.

9. Ayabonga Khaka

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