The Women’s Premier League will take place in Mumbai from March 4 to 24.
The new franchise competition will have five teams, representing Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
Described as the women’s version of the Indian Premier League, the amount of cash involved in the competition has never before been seen in the female game.
Who are the teams?
Three of the five teams are IPL-affiliated. A sister team of the Mumbai Indians will have Charlotte Edwards, the former England captain, as their coach, having landed a WPL side for $111m.
The Royal Challengers-associated side to represent Bangalore cost $110m. Delhi Capitals’ owners bought a WPL team for $99m.
The two remaining sides both have links to the UAE’s DP World International League T20. Adani Sportsline, who own ILT20-title chasing Gulf Giants, bid $158m for the Ahmedabad side.
Capri Global, whose Sharjah Warriors exited the ILT20 at the league phase, own the Lucknow side in WPL, having paid $93m.
When is the auction?
Players are set to be recruited via an auction in Mumbai on Monday, February 13.
Leading Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma have a base price of around $60,000.
That is the same value for overseas stars such as Sophie Ecclestone, the England spinner, Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, and Sophie Devine, the New Zealand batter.
Could a UAE player be selected?
The organisers have stipulated each squad should have a minimum of 15 players and a maximum of 18.
This will include seven overseas players, five of whom can play in the starting XI – as long as one of those selected is from an associate nation – such as the UAE.
Out of the 409 players on the list for the auction, eight are from Associate countries. That includes Thailand opener Natthakan Chantham, who played in the Women’s T20 Challenge, which was the three-team event that was the forebear for the WPL.
Ka Ying Chan, from Hong Kong, Tara Norris, of United States, and Netherlands’ Sterre Kalis are all on the list, as well as four UAE players.
Who are the UAE players?
As the ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year for 2022, it is likely Esha Oza will be among the most sought after players from beyond the Test nations.
Theertha Satish, who once trialled for India’s U17s football team, is also highly-regarded having played alongside international stars at the FairBreak Invitational in Dubai last year.
The wicketkeeper batter captained UAE at the U19 World Cup in South Africa last month.
Two schoolgirls are also on the list. Mahika Gaur, who was born in England and recently moved back there for boarding school, but was brought up in Dubai, is a left-arm quick bowler.
Vaishnave Mahesh is a promising leg-spin bowler. She only turned 16 in December.
How much do they stand to make?
The UAE players all have a base price of around $12,000. So some way short of the salaries set to be fetched by the higher-profile stars – but still enough to make it worthwhile asking for time off school.
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
