Before going into isolation, Annabel Sutherland discussed potential business ventures with the Gujarat Giants ahead of the release of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The discussion was centered around potential business opportunities before Annabel Sutherland was released by the UP Warriors of the Capri Global Business House. The team was seeking an Australian all-rounder, and it is believed that advanced discussions took place before the business was halted.
The 22-year-old and promising player, Annabel Sutherland, was purchased by the Gujarat Giants for INR 70 lakhs last year. She has nominated herself for the WPL auction scheduled for December 9 in Mumbai. The general expectation is that she will be one of the top attractions in the auction alongside international players like Chamari Athapathu. Interestingly, the auction precedes Australia’s tour of India, featuring a multi-format series starting from December 21.
Another Australian player likely to attract attention is Phoebe Litchfield, with a base price of INR 30 lakhs. Sutherland’s base price is set at INR 40 lakhs. Notably, no business was concluded after the first season of the WPL.
There are only two players with a maximum base price of more than INR 50 lakhs: Deandra Dottin and Kim Garth, with a combined purse of approximately INR 50 crores. The auction can fill up to 30 available slots, including reservations for nine overseas players. A total of 165 players have registered for the auction, comprising 104 Indians and 61 foreign players, including 15 from associate nations. The auction features 56 capped players and 109 uncapped players and will be broadcasted on Jio Cinema and Sports 18 from 3 PM.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet announced the dates for the upcoming season, but it may commence around February 10 and run until the first week of March. The venues are also undecided, but there is a possibility that BCCI will focus on two locations, with Mumbai and Bangalore being the frontrunners.
Before the auction, James Sutherland, the former boss of Cricket Australia, praised WPL, which he played a crucial role in launching the Women’s Big Bash League. He stated, “BCCI has done remarkable things for women’s cricket through WPL. The first year was very successful, and teams performed well, though they had very little lead time for the tournament. They will organize this season even better. Watching matches held across the country for potential matches will be great. Fans will love it, and it will inspire more girls to play and love cricket,” said Annabel’s father Sutherland.
Meanwhile, BCCI has formed a committee by appointing Roger Binny as the chairman and Jay Shah as the secretary and coordinator for the management of WPL. Arun Dhumal, the treasurer of the IPL, is also a member along with Rajiv Shukla (vice-chairman), Ashish Shelar (finance director), and Devajit Saikia (joint secretary). Madhumati Lele and Prabhatej Bhatia are other members.