Kate Cross Emphasizes Recovery, Withdraws from WPL 2025
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Synopsis
Kate Cross has opted out of WPL 2025 to focus on her recovery from injury and maintain her mental and physical health before the busy English summer. She sends her best wishes to RCB and expresses her disappointment over missing the season.
Key Takeaways
- Kate Cross withdraws from WPL 2025 for injury recovery.
- Prioritizing mental and physical well-being.
- RCB replaces her with Heather Graham and Kim Garth.
- WPL 2025 starts on February 14 in Vadodara.
- Matches will be held in four cities, including Bengaluru and Mumbai.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (NationPress) England pacer Kate Cross announced her withdrawal from the forthcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 season to ensure a complete recovery from her injury while prioritizing her mental and physical health in preparation for a demanding English summer.
Cross, who was retained by the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prior to the WPL auction last December, will miss the season alongside New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine.
This week, RCB appointed Heather Graham and Kim Garth as replacements for the duo.
“My choice to withdraw from the WPL was not an easy one, but I must dedicate time to fully rehabilitate my injury and focus on my mental and physical wellness before an important summer,” Cross expressed in an Instagram update.
She conveyed her disappointment about missing the WPL season and sent her best wishes to the Smriti Mandhana-led team.
“I’m devastated to miss out on my time with RCB this year but wish @smriti_mandhana and the team all the success in defending the title! I’ll be cheering for everyone from home,” she remarked.
The third edition of the WPL will take place across four cities – Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai.
The WPL 2025 is set to kick off on February 14, featuring a match between Gujarat Giants (GG) and RCB in Vadodara.
Vadodara will host a total of six matches before the tournament moves to Bengaluru, where Smriti Mandhana's RCB will have their first home game against Mumbai Indians at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on February 21.
The competition will then proceed to Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, marking its debut as a WPL venue with four matches. Alyssa Healy's UPW will play three games against GG, MI, and RCB at their home ground on March 3, 6, and 8, respectively.
The final phase of WPL 2025 will be held at the historic Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Harmanpreet Kaur's Mumbai Indians will wrap up the league stage with consecutive home matches against GG and RCB on March 10 and 11, respectively.
Brabourne will also stage the eliminator between the second and third-placed teams on March 13, followed by the championship match scheduled for March 15.
