 "Mumbai Indians had won their second Women's Premier League in three seasons earlier this year after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final in March. PTI")
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was among the players retained by defending Women’s Premier League (WPL) champions Mumbai Indians ahead of the mega auction later this month.
Besides Harmanpreet, who led India to a historic triumph in the ICC Women’s World Cup recently, MI retained England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, West Indian all-rounder Hayley Matthews as well as India all-rounder Amanjot Kaur and G Kamalini.
Sciver-Brunt, in fact was retained at a price higher than that of Harmanpreet, with the MI skipper reportedly in favour of the decision.
Reacting to the two-time WPL champions’ retentions – the deadline for which lapsed on Wednesday, 5 November – Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani described Harmanpreet, Sciver-Brunt and the other retained players as the embodiment of “the MI ethos, spirit, and brand of cricket”.
“I am so proud to continue our journey with our five exceptional players who will lead Mumbai Indians into an exciting new era. Harmanpreet Kaur, our captain and the heartbeat of this team, along with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, and young Kamalini, each embodies the MI ethos, spirit, and brand of cricket,” read an official statement from the Reliance Foundation chairperson.
“They have been integral to our success and symbolise everything Mumbai Indians stands for. As we step into a new season, I am excited to see this core group continue to inspire millions of young girls across India to dream big.
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View All“To all those who have been part of our MI family — thank you for your incredible contributions and the lasting impact you have made on our journey. You will always remain a cherished part of the MI story, and I wish you all the very best,” she added.
‘Retention process is always challenging’
Akash Ambani, the eldest son of Nita and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani who heads Reliance Jio Infocomm and is a co-owner of the Mumbai Indians, expressed satisfaction over the team’s retentions for the fourth WPL season.
“The retention process is always challenging because you’re making tough calls about extraordinary talent. We are happy about the combination we’ve retained - a captain who leads by example, proven international match-winners and emerging Indian talent. Harman’s ability to get the best out of her teammates is invaluable, and with Nat, Hayley, Amanjot and Kamalini, we have the perfect mix of aggression, skill, and temperament,” read a statement from Akash.
“Mumbai Indians has always been about creating champions, and this new phase is another opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to excellence along with our champions. Every player who has represented Mumbai Indians in the WPL has given their all, and we respect and honor those contributions,” he added.
WPL’s retention rules allow franchises to retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players and two uncapped Indian players. In case a team retains five players, at least one of them has to be an uncapped Indian – which in MI’s case is Kamalini.
Franchises will also be allowed to use a Right To Match (RTM) card for the first time in WPL history, which will give them the option to buy back a player who was part of their squad in the previous season.
The mega auction will be taking place on 27 November in New Delhi.