The Women's Premier League teams announced which players they've retained from last year's squads today (November 6) ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Among Delhi Capitals list was 20-year-old Karnataka batter, Niki Prasad.
Who is Niki Prasad?
Prasad has been a rising star in India over the last couple of years. She captained the U19 side to a T20 World Cup win in Malaysia earlier this year, before she made her WPL debut as a teenager. She scored a vital 35 off 33 at No.6 against Mumbai Indians, and was rewarded with Player of the Match for her crucial part in the chase.
As a talented teenager on the club cricket scene in Bengaluru, Prasad has drawn attention from an early age. She first gained a reputation for power-hitting after hitting several sixes off Deepti Sharma aged 15 in a club tournament in Bengaluru, and was initially in line for an early India U19s call-up for the 2023 U19 T20 World Cup. But, having curbed her aggressive game to bat for longer periods, she moved down the pecking order. After the disappointment of not being selected, she overhauled her fitness routine and focused on power-hitting to break into the side.
After her impressive first outing, Prasad was only required to bat twice more in last year's WPL, including in the final. She again impressed with an unbeaten 23-ball 25 which almost got Delhi over the line. Her cool head in pressure scenarios is likely one reason why Delhi have chosen to retain her.
Did the new player-retention rules contribute to Prasad's retention?
The mega auction this year means that teams can retain fewer players than they have previously. Each team can retain a maximum of five players, with those players deducting fixed amounts from their auction purse. The first player each side retains will see INR 3.5 crore deducted from their purse, the second 2.5 crore, the third 1.75 crore, the fourth 1 crore and the fifth 50 lakh.
Uncapped Indian players, which Prasad is, will cost 50 lakh each to retain. Teams are allowed to pay more but the extra payment will be deducted from their purse. Given that Prasad was bought by Delhi for 10 lakh in last year's auction, that's a reasonably big increase in her value.
Nevertheless, Prasad showed clarity in high pressure moments last year, and has been captaining the senior Karnataka side in domestic cricket this season. It's likely Delhi would have reasoned another team would have bid a higher amount for her in the auction, and retaining her would keep her price down.
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