WPL 2025: Key Players Who Can Shine From Every Team

The WPL 2025 kicks off on February 14 with the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, against Gujarat Giants in Vadodara. The final is scheduled for March 15 at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

Over the course of four cities, fans will experience high-octane action across more than 20 league matches and the Eliminator, both co-hosts. Mumbai Indians triumphed in franchise history with win in 2023 over RCB in 2024, and so it has been that Delhi Capitals has, sadly, bogged down to losing both finals.

Also Read: 5 Emerging Players to Watch Out for in WPL 2025

Some familiar faces this season are: Niki Prasad, Alana King, and Deandra Dottin. However, several vital absentees could swing the tide here due to injury: Sophie Devine (RCB), Kate Cross (RCB), and Alyssa Healy (UP Warriorz).

Here’s a roundup of five cricketers who absolutely could steal WPL 2025:

Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru – RCB)

• 2024 WPL Stats: 300 runs in 10 matches, avg. 30, 2 fifties
• Key Strengths: Aggressive batting, ability to handle pressure

Why She’s important? She comes into the 2024 international season fresh from an outstanding performance, having scored 763 T20I runs with an average of 42.38; Mandhana would thus be on fire. She had an unimpressive stint during WPL 2023 (149 runs in 8 matches) but fared better in the last season. In continuing with her dominance, she could lead RCB to yet another title.

Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz, UPW)

• 2024 WPL Stats: 295 runs, 10 wickets, 1 hat-trick
• Key Strengths: All-round ability, leadership skills

Why She’s important? Bringing something of a tactic of her own, Deepti is stepping into Healy’s captaincy of UP Warriorz. An important player, she’s claimed a wicket for UP in WPL 2024; how does she glean from listings? She made significant contributions with ready-to-finish innings and bowling (19 wickets taking 27.68).

Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals, DC)

• 2024 WPL Stats: 309 runs, SR: 168+
• Key Strengths: Explosive batting, match-winner in powerplay

Why She’s Important: Shafali being dropped from the Indian women’s team and the WPL 2025 is a vital opportunity for a comeback. She is the third-highest run-scorer in the WPL so far, with 561 runs in 18 matches. A good season may just put her on the radar of national selectors again.

Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants, GG)

• 2024 WPL Stats: 120 runs, 7 wickets
• Key Strengths: Experienced all-rounder, game-changer

Why She’s Important: Gardner has taken over as the new captain for the Gujarat Giants as a replacement for Beth Mooney. Two-time Belinda Clark Award winner Gardner is a reliable match-winner and must show positive leadership after the pathetic showings from the GT side the last couple of seasons.

Hayley Matthews (Mumbai Indians, MI)

• 2024 WPL Stats: 451 runs, 23 wickets
• Key Strengths: Versatile all-rounder, power-hitter

Why She’s Important: An all-rounder from the Mumbai Indians side, Matthews was one of the match-winners that propelled the MI team to title-winning glory in 2023. She is undoubtedly one of the most impactful WPL all-rounders, with a strike rate of over 120 and an economy rate of 6.66.

WPL 2025 expects to prove itself an intense cricketing affair, with a great number of important players, including Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Ashleigh Gardner, all set to thump. Perhaps careers of the stars could be decided at the tournament, with intoxicating contests leading to the final on March 15.