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WPL Auction: Women's Premier League auction to be held in Kochi on October 28; matches likely in Mumbai and Vadodara
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finalized the official date for the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. The player auction for the upcoming season will be held in Kochi on October 28. The BCCI formally informed all five franchises of the league about this decision on Wednesday (September 16).
Deadline to submit retention list: September 28
All teams must finalize their lists of retained and released players exactly one month prior to the auction:
- Retention Deadline: All five teams have until September 28 to submit their lists.
- Squad Limit: Each franchise can retain a maximum of 18 players in their squad, including up to 6 overseas players.
- Salary Cap: The total purse (salary cap) for each team for the current cycle is set at ₹15 crore.
Matches likely to be played in Mumbai and Vadodara; uncertainty over Varanasi
The upcoming WPL season is expected to take place during the January-February window, similar to last year. The BCCI has selected Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium (CCI) and Vadodara's Kotambi Stadium as the primary venues for hosting the tournament.
Although there was a proposal to host some matches at the new international stadium being constructed in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the likelihood of this happening is quite low given the current situation. According to sources, a match at the Varanasi stadium will only be possible once its preparedness has been tested through the successful hosting of domestic matches.
Season 4 was also held in Mumbai and Vadodara, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning the title in the final played on February 5. RCB will enter the tournament this time as the defending champions.
