The Nashik Women’s Premier League (NWPL) is set to begin its inaugural season from April 25 to May 1, following the official unveiling of the tournament trophy. Organised by the Nashik District Cricket Association (NDCA), the competition will feature five teams competing across 13 matches, marking an important step for women’s cricket in the region.
The launch event also included the unveiling of team jerseys, attended by players, officials, sponsors, and dignitaries. The occasion underlined the growing focus on expanding opportunities for women’s cricket at the district level through structured competitions.
Auction Shapes Team Compositions
A key milestone ahead of the tournament was the player auction held on April 14. A total of 91 players were listed, with 75 securing contracts across franchises. The auction was conducted across four categories—Icon, Category A, Category B, and Emerging Players—ensuring a balanced mix of experience and youth.
Franchises showed strong interest, particularly in all-rounders and wicketkeeper-batters. Pallavi Bodke emerged as the most expensive signing, earning 28,000 points before being picked by Balaji Super Novas.
Teams and Icon Players
The league will feature five teams:
- Balaji Super Novas
- Sangale Strikers
- Maratha Warriors
- Jijamata Squad
- The Rising Stars
Each side has been built around a designated icon player:
- Tejaswini Batwal (Balaji Super Novas)
- Rasika Shinde (Maratha Warriors)
- Shalmali Kshatriya (Sangale Strikers)
- Ishwari Savkar (The Rising Stars)
- Dnyanada Nikam (Jijamata Squad)
Squads
Balaji Super Novas
Tejaswini Batwal, Dnyaneshwari Santosh Gholap, Tanvi Kattimani, Tanvi Ravindra Tathe, Nidhial, Jyoti Rathore, Madhura Dayama, Pallavi Bodke, Gauri Mahendra Ahire, Vedika Kiran Jondhale, Akshara Rajendra Sangale, Pooja Wagh, Ojasvi Deore, Dhanshree Mange Bhutada, Roshani Mohabansi
Maratha Warriors
Rasika Shinde, Arya Abhijit Gadgil, Aaradhya Shrikant Garunge, Nikita Jondhale, Anushka Sonawane, Kartiki Sanjay Gaikwad, Ruchira Yogesh Thorat, Sanskruti Sumit Kantak, Aishwarya Wagh, Pratiksha Vishwas Deshmukh, Deepshree Gavhane, Jayshri Baban Bidkar, Asmita Narendra Khairnar, Pratiksha Santosh Shindode, Akshara Jadhav
Sangale Strikers
Shalmali Kshatriya, Prachiti Bhavar, Aarohi Sanap, Aaradhya Digambar Botwe, Mohini Ashish Kulkarni, Kalyani Ananda Kute, Prerana Kangane, Kavya Nitin Darade, Kavya Dighe, Niyati Sandeep Sadgir, Anshika Ramdas Waje, Shravani Katkade, Aaradhya Deepak Pagar, Neha Shelar, Sharddha Ganesh Jagtap
The Rising Stars
Ishwari Savkar, Vaishnavi Sharma, Ragini Sonawane, Aarohi Narayan Dhatrak, Avani Kiran Tilekar, Sapna Pawar, Siddhi Pingale, Jasmeen, Aradhya Hemant Unawane, Prerna Vishnu Gavit, Shambhavi Sangale, Nyssa Kaur, Prapti Sharad Ingale, Nikita Santosh More, Riddhi Khot
Jijamata Squad
Lakshmi Yadav, Dnyanada Nikam, Arnavi Pawar, Vaibhavi Balasubramaniam, Arya Ujjwal Navsarikar, Shraddha Ingole, Hitakshi Agrawal, Shruti Mangesh Godse, Shravni Pawar, Pranika Bhardwaj, Janhavi Harishchandra Anandpawar, Swarali Nilesh Ingale, Nirjala Shyam Wagh, Shruti Gite, Gargi Chandwadkar
Tournament Format
The competition will follow a league format before progressing to the knockout stage, with semi-finals and a final determining the champion.
With squads finalised and preparations complete, the NWPL is set to offer a competitive platform for women cricketers in Nashik, contributing to the continued growth of the sport at the grassroots level.
