The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 auction, held on December 9, 2023, left fans in awe and disbelief as three remarkable players surprisingly went unsold. In this comprehensive breakdown, we look into Tara Norris, Devika Vaidya, and Chamari Athapaththu, going unsold.
3 Players Who Unbelievably Got Unsold In WPL 2024 Auction:
Tara Norris:
Tara Norris, a 25-year-old American cricketer, etched her name in WPL history by becoming the first player to claim five wickets in a Women’s Premier League match. Her stellar performance, donning the Delhi Capitals jersey, saw them triumph over Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Despite an impressive record of seven wickets in five appearances during WPL 2023, Norris found herself without a team in the latest auction. As a left-handed pacer, she brought a unique dimension to the bowling assault, a quality that often proves invaluable in the dynamic T20 format. Her performance on the international stage, particularly in one-day matches, added to the mystique of her unsold status. The clubs, however, seemed to overlook her accomplishments, raising eyebrows.
Vaidya Devika:
The tale of Devika Vaidya is one marked by anticipation and surprise. Following an extravagant 1.40 crore rupees acquisition by UP Warriorz in the WPL 2023 auction, expectations were high for Vaidya to make waves in the 2024 edition. However, fate had other plans.
As a leg-spinner and a proficient lower-order batswoman, Vaidya’s credentials were bolstered by her recent success with the Indian women’s squad at the Asian Games. Despite her inconsistent international career, where she secured 10 wickets at a respectable average and displayed a batting average of 22.50, she found herself without a team in the latest auction. Clubs, perhaps blinded by short-term considerations, overlooked the potential benefits of having a versatile player like Vaidya in their ranks.
Chamari Athapaththu:
Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lankan all-rounder and one of the most reliable performers in women’s Twenty20 cricket, faced rejection for the second consecutive season in the WPL. Her remarkable achievements, including being named the most valuable player in the Women’s Big Bash League and an outstanding record in WT20Is, failed to secure her a spot in any team.
Having amassed 511 runs at an average of 42.58 and taking nine wickets in the Women’s Big Bash League, Athapaththu’s credentials speak volumes. Her international record for Sri Lanka is equally impressive, with 2,651 runs and 40 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals. The 33-year-old’s undrafted status raises questions about the evaluation criteria used by the WPL clubs.
