History awaits. It’s that 2008 moment all over again. And 15 years down the line, the stage is set, the world is ready, and we, at Mumbai Indians cannot wait for it to begin. Before we see who joins our camp, here’s everything you need to know about the big day:

So what is this?

It’s the Women’s Premier League Auction, 2023. It’s also the start of a new era. Women’s cricket will never be the same again!

And how different is it from the IPL Auction?

The overall rules, the format, the course of play is pretty much the same. The names of players would come up in batches: marquee players, batters, allrounders, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers, spin bowlers and emerging players, and the interested teams would indulge in a bidding war.

When and where is it happening?

It’s at 2:30pm on Monday, the 13^th of February 2023, at the JIO Convention Center in Mumbai

Is it the same auctioneer?

Nope. Hugh Edmeades, the usual IPL auctioneer won’t be presiding over the session. Malika Advani, a Mumbai-based consultant for Modern and Contemporary Indian art and partner in Art India Consultants firm will oversee the proceedings.

Can we talk about the money?

Of course. Every team has been allotted a purse of 12 crores INR, of which a minimum of 9 crores INR have to be spent.

And the number of players who’ve registered for this?

409 of them have. 246 Indians, 163 overseas of which eight are from Associate nations.

And what are the rules of the day?

The players have registered their base prices in slabs of INR 50 lakh, INR 40 lakh, INR 30 lakh, INR 20 lakh and INR 10 lakh. Bids up to 1 crore INR would be in increments of 5 lakhs INR, from 1-2 crore INR in increments of 10 lakhs INR, and beyond 2 crore INR in increments of 20 lakhs INR.

Same squad size as the IPL teams have?

Nope again. The maximum squad size a team could have is 18 players, which includes a maximum of six foreigners. The minimum squad size a team needs to have is 15 players.

So who are those marquee players available

There’s India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, the star openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Varma, gun all-rounders in Deepti Sharma, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Ecclestone, Deandra Dottin. A total of 24 players have chosen the top base price of 50 lakhs INR.

And who among them are Mumbai Indians going to go after?

Well, her. And her as well. ;)