Kolkata: Defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) & UP Warriorz have named their official replacements ahead of WPL 2025, starting from February 14, 2025.
Both the teams saw multiple players opting out or getting ruled out due to injuries.
From RCB, veteran all-rounder Sophie Devine opted out due to personal reasons. Kate Cross was also ruled out due to injury. As a result, RCB have roped in English all-rounder Charlie Dean, replacing Sophie Molineux and Australian duo of Heather Graham and Kim Garth.
While pace-bowling all-rounder Graham, who has been part of the Mumbai Indians in the past, will replace Devine, Garth will return to the WPL fold replacing England pacer Kate Cross, who didn’t place a single match in RCB’s title-winning campaign in 2024. “Kiwi all-rounder Sophie Devine is taking a break from cricket for her well-being, and English speedster Kate Cross will miss the season due to a back injury,” RCB confirmed the development in their official social media handle.
Experienced Garth will add depth to the pace attack. With RCB concerned over Ellyse Perry’s fitness, Garth’s addition was timely with Renuka Thakur being the only other experienced Indian option and now Heather Graham adding to the stocks further.
On the other hand, the UP Warriorz had to call major replacement to their as their skipper Alyssa Healy is being ruled out of the competition due to a stress injury in her right foot.
Healy has had a dodgy return to competitive cricket since her injury during the T20 World Cup last year and mentioned that she would want to put her feet up for two months following the Ashes and sort the issue out once and for all.
The Warriorz signed West Indies all-rounder Chinelle Henry as Healy’s replacement at her base price of INR 30 Lakh. Henry had a great T20 World Cup in the UAE and would complement Tahlia McGrath in the all-rounder’s department.
