The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has risen to popularity in a short span. It’s a massive deal in women’s cricket now, isn’t it?
With the competition getting super intense, how each team is put together is absolutely key. And that makes us wonder about the number of players allowed in each WPL squad.
So, what is the maximum squad size in the WPL?
Well, the maximum number of players each WPL team can have is 18. And there’s also a minimum requirement of at least 15 players.
In the IPL, each team can build a squad of a maximum of 25 players. So, the players allowed per squad in the WPL is comparatively less than in the IPL.
But the player acquisition process is similar. Teams can sign players through a combination of retentions and auction picks in the WPL.
But what about the overseas players in the WPL? How many of them are allowed?
Similar to the IPL, overseas players are always in high demand in the WPL. While the demand is high, there’s, obviously, a limit.
So, a WPL team can have a maximum of six overseas players in their complete squad. That’s two less than the eight allowed in the IPL.
Check overseas player limit in other T20 leagues here
How Many Overseas Players Are Allowed in IPL Teams?
How Many Overseas Players Are Allowed in a WPL Team?
How Many Overseas Players are Allowed in a BBL Squad?
How Many Overseas Players Are Allowed in a CPL Team?
So, four overseas players in the playing XI in the WPL?
Yep. But the number can be stretched to five foreigners.
How so?
See, the WPL allows the fifth foreigner in the XI if the concerned player belongs to an associate member nation.
Now, what’s an associate member nation?
The national teams that don’t play Test cricket. So, any player outside Test-playing nations falls under this category.
If a team fields an associate nation player in the XI, it will count as a domestic player rather than an overseas one. So WPL teams can have five overseas players in the playing XI.
Now, what will be the final playing XI composition in the WPL?
So if a team lists four foreigners, then the playing XI will feature seven Indian players.
And if a team starts with five overseas players, including one from an associate nation, then six Indian players will be part of the XI.
Read Next | Explained: Powerplay Rules in Women’s T20 Cricket
