Reports: Annabel Sutherland released after being discussed in potential trade

Annabel Sutherland, the 22-year-old Aussie all-rounder, is making headlines as trade talks swirl ahead of the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction in Mumbai on December 9. The auction precedes the Australian team's tour to India for a multi-format series starting on December 21.

The buzz centers around her potential move from the Gujarat Giants. There were speculations regarding some interest from the UP Warriors, but nothing has been confirmed.

Sutherland, a versatile all-rounder, was initially acquired by the Gujarat Giants for INR 70 lakh the previous year. She has now entered in the WPL auction, where she is anticipated to be one of the top attractions. Another notable Australian in the auction is Phoebe Litchfield whose base price is Rs 30 lakh, while Sutherland's base price is set at Rs 40 lakh. 

Only two players boast a maximum base price of Rs 50 lakh, namely Deandra Dottin and Kim Garth. The auction has the potential to fill 30 available slots, with nine reserved for overseas players. A total of 165 players have enrolled, including 104 Indians and 61 overseas players, with 15 from associate nations. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the dates of the second edition of the tournament, but it is speculated to start around February 10 and conclude in early March, with Mumbai and Bengaluru frontrunners to be the two venues.

Prior to the auction, James Sutherland, former Cricket Australia boss and father of Annabel, commended the WPL, expressing optimism about its future success.

"The BCCI did wonderful things for women's cricket in bringing the WPL to life. First year was a great success and teams did pretty well given they had a very short lead into the tournament. They will be even better organised this season. To achieve its potential it will be great to see matches scheduled around the country. Fans will love it... and it will inspire more girls to play and love cricket!," Sutherland, the father of Annabel, told Cricbuzz.

The BCCI has formed a committee to oversee the WPL, with Roger Binny and Jay Shah serving as chairperson and convenor, respectively. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, along with Rajeev Shukla, Ashish Shelar, Devajit Saikia, Madhumati Lele, and Prabhtej Bhatia, complete the committee.