MI announces retention list ahead of WPL 2025; Harmanpreet, Nat-Sciver, Hayley, Amelie form strong core

The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), have announced their retention list ahead of the season three auctions scheduled for next year. The team has retained a strong core of players, including skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, West Indies star Hayley Matthews, England's Nat Sciver-Brunt, and New Zealand's Amelie Kerr. However, the team has parted ways with England pacer Issy Wong, who achieved the first-ever WPL hat-trick for MI, along with Indian players Humariraa Kaazi, Fatima Jaffer, and Priyanka Bala.

"Retention days and announcements are always bittersweet. Our #BatchOf2024 will always hold a special place in the MI Paltan, with countless memorable moments on and off the field. In keeping with the spirit of continuity, Mumbai Indians have retained fourteen players from the squad for the WPL 2025 season," MI said in a statement.

The retained players also include Amandeep Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, South Africa's Chloe Tryon, Jintimani Kalita, Keerthana B, Pooja Vastrakar, Saika Ishaque, Sajana Sajeevan, South African pace veteran Shabnim Ismail, and Indian wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia.

"And with a heavy heart, we bid goodbye (for now!) to four of our key players who brought us immense joy over the past two years. The ever-smiling Issy Wong, who recorded the first hat-trick in MI's WPL history, along with Humariraa Kaazi, Fatima Jaffer, and Priyanka Bala, will truly be missed," the statement added.

After winning the inaugural title in 2023, MI was eliminated by eventual champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the WPL 2024 eliminator. The auction dates and schedule for season three of the tournament have yet to be announced. (ANI)