Stand-in captain, a national skipper and a T20 World Cup winner: 8 high-profile names released ahead of WPL 2025 auction

Sneh Rana, the veteran Indian all-rounder and an experienced captain in domestic cricket, was probably the biggest local player released ahead of WPL 2025. Rana, who also led the Gujarat Giants in Beth Mooney's absence was let go. Here's a look at some of the other high-profile names released-

Issy Wong, one of the stars of Mumbai Indians' title win in WPL 2023, played just two matches in the last season with Shabnim Ismail being preferred ahead of her and was now released by the franchise

Heather Knight missed the 2024 edition of the WPL. With RCB trading in Danni Wyatt-Hodge from UP Warriorz, they had to let go of Knight

Lea Tahuhu, the most recent T20 World Cup winner for New Zealand, came in as a replacement player for the Giants. However, she too was let go by the Giants

Poonam Yadav, the veteran Indian leggie, didn't play a single match for the Delhi Capitals in WPL 2024 and hence was expectedly released. Yadav was star for India in the Women's T20 World Cup in 2020

Nadine de Klerk had come in as Knight's replacement for RCB in 2024. However, with Wyatt-Hodge in the squad and Sophie Devine and Sophie Molineux likely to start in the XI, there was no place for de Klerk. The South African all-rounder was one of the main stars in her side's T20 World Cup campaign till the final

One of the best associate players in the world, Kathryn Bryce, the Scotland captain, too was let go of by the Giants

Lauren Bell had missed the WPL 2024 season for the UP Warriorz. Since Chamari Athapaththu was brought in her place, she has got the nod ahead of her now and the Warriorz are in the market for an all-rounder