The Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCB-W) appointed former South Australian cricketer Luke Williams as head coach ahead of the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) season, and the move proved transformative.
After finishing fourth in the inaugural edition, the team, under Smriti Mandhana’s captaincy, went on to clinch the coveted title.
Williams played a pivotal role in the team’s turnaround, taking RCB-W from a disappointing 2023 season to champions in 2024. Key performances came from skipper Smriti Mandhana (300 runs) and all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who excelled with 347 runs and 7 wickets, earning her the Orange Cap. Spin-bowling all-rounder Shreyanka Patil also shone, claiming the Purple Cap with 13 wickets.
Reflecting on the team’s success, Williams emphasized the importance of retaining a strong core for consistency.
“We’ve retained the core of last year’s successful squad to ensure continuity on and off the field. However, the mini-auction provides a great chance to strengthen our squad further with impactful players,” he said.
RCB-W’s retained players include Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, Shreyanka Patil, and Renuka Singh Thakur, among others. They also traded in Danni Wyatt-Hodge ahead of the season.
As the mini-auction approaches on Sunday, December 15, in Bengaluru, RCB-W has four vacant slots to fill, though all overseas player spots are already occupied.
A total of 19 slots are up for grabs across teams, with 120 players set to go under the hammer, aiming for a place in the 2025 edition of the cash-rich league.