WPL 2023: Why Delhi Capitals are the only franchise that can play five foreign players in their playing XI

Much ahead of the auction day, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a statement confirmed that all the five franchises in the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) can field a maximum of five foreign players in their playing XI.

However, there’s a catch as one of the five players needs to be from any of the associate nations. Now in case any of the franchises don’t field anyone from the associate nation, it will not have the luxury to field five overseas players in the playing XI.

Now interestingly, Delhi Capitals were the only team at the auction to purchase a player from the associate nation. The franchise signed left-arm pacer Tara Norris of the United States of America (USA) for INR 10 lakhs and with that, they now have the freedom to field five foreign players in the playing XI but one of them has to be Norris.

Since no other team signed anyone from the associate nation, they will not have the option to play five foreigners on the matchday in their playing XI.

Now coming to Norris, the 24-year-old has played five matches for the USA and has picked up four wickets at a jaw-dropping economy of 1.72. She was also the second-highest wicket-taker for Southern Vipers in the inaugural edition (2020) of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

Notably, Gujarat Giants too were interested to sign a player from the associate nations and went after UAE’s Mahika Gaur, only to realise that they had run out of their overseas quota of six players. Thus, they couldn’t sign her and won’t have the same luxury as Delhi.

Delhi-based franchise signed Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodriguez among many others

Delhi Capitals remained quiet for the first two rounds of the auction only to make a comeback in the third round. They turned things around through some quick signings in the form of Australia skipper Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues.

In the later half of the auction, they signed players like Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Jess Jonassen, Shikha Pandey, and Marizanne Kapp among many others to strengthen their squad ahead of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League.

Delhi Capitals squad 

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