Women's Premier League auction: Heather Knight, Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer among England players in action | Cricket news

Eight England players are hoping to be bought in Sunday's Women's Premier League auction ahead of the third installment of the T20 tournament in India in 2025.

Among them are captain Heather Knight, fellow batsman Maia Bouchier, sailors Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer and leg-spinner Sarah Glenn.

There are up to five spots available for overseas players – and 29 cricketers fighting for those places – as the five franchises finalize their squads.

Here we take a look at why the English eight could be thinking of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and first-time winners Mumbai Indians, as well as Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Titans…

Lauren Bell

At six feet tall and with the ability to dunk the ball proudly, Bell should be a shoo-in for selection. She was picked up by UP Warriorz for the first tournament in 2023, but did not play a game and then pulled out last year to help with her preparations for the T20 World Cup and Ashes. With a base price of 30 lahks (£27,400), she could once again be of interest to the Warriors, who are managed by England head coach Jon Lewis. Her lack of experience in India could hamper her – she has two wickets in two T20s in the subcontinent.

Maia Bouchier

An elegant top-order batter, Bouchier has become a mainstay of England's limited-overs teams. Hitting at over 120 across her 42 T20 internationals, the Southern Vipers star has adapted well to top-level cricket. She was out for a first-ball duck in her only appearance in India last year, but her overall record away from home is better than her record in England, so ' she could change very well if someone punched her.

Danielle Gibson

Bowler Gibson is still finding his feet in the international game, but could be a good option. She was a regular for the Adelaide Strikers last year as they won the Women's Big Bash League, scoring vital mid-order runs and taking valuable wickets. It would be more of a surprise if she was picked up than if she wasn't, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Strikers coach Luke Williams could be tempted.

Sarah Glenn

Often working in the shadow of Sophie Ecclestone, Glenn is nevertheless a vital cog in England's spin bowling unit, both at home and away. She has a strong record in Asia, taking 10 wickets in nine matches at 17.60, bowling with skill and control. She is also useful with the bat, and can hit useful runs at low order, which could convince a team to include her.

Heather Knight

As one of the most experienced players in world cricket, it would be a huge surprise if the England captain did not earn a contract. She was a regular for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first season, but dropped out last year to manage her workload. As a result Knight was thrown back into the auction lot and with a base price of 50 lakh, she is among the most expensive players, but someone with her skill and managerial experience is likely to find a buyer.

Sophia Dunkley

A dip in form left Dunkley out of England's series against Pakistan earlier this year, but she has worked her way back into the squad and will be hoping to stay. She starred for Gujarat Giants in the first WPL season, hitting the fastest fifty in the tournament, but was then released and ruled herself out of the 2024 auction. her day, you would expect someone to be interested.

Lauren Files

Fast pace is hard to find and that's exactly what Filer has in abundance. This year's auction may come a little early in the career for the seaman to build a team, with so many high-quality players on the market and so few vacancies. However, if she continues to fire rockets for England and in domestic cricket, a big deal could happen soon.

Paige Scholfield

Scholfield earned her first call-up to the international stage in September, after years of knocking on the door thanks to her performances with Southern Vipers, Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles. In her two T20 internationals so far, against Ireland in September, she has batted at a strike rate of 150 so she knows how to move forward.