England pacer Kate Cross, who was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has announced her withdrawal from the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) season. Kate Cross expressed disappointment over missing out on the upcoming WPL 2025 season but wants to prioritize her recovery from a back injury.
Cross and New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine were ruled out of the upcoming Women’s Premier League season despite being retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru after last year’s successful campaign. In response, RCB named Heather Graham and Kim Garth as their replacements earlier this week.
Kate Cross Pens Heartfelt Letter For RCB After Withdrawing from Women’s Premier League 2025
A week before the start of the tournament, Kate Cross withdrew from the competition to focus on full recovery, both mentally and physically. In an emotional post, Cross said that injury rehabilitation and overall well-being are essential ahead of a busy international cricket schedule in the summer.
“My decision to withdraw from the WPL was a difficult one, but I need to take the time to rehab my injury fully and prioritise my mental and physical well-being ahead of a big summer,” Cross said in an Instagram post.
“I’m gutted to be missing my time with RCB this year but wish @smriti_mandhana and the girls all the luck in defending the trophy! I’ll be supporting everyone from back home,” she added.
RCB replied to Cross’ Instagram post and commented, “We can’t wait to see you back on the field, Crossy! Wishing you speedy recovery.”
Kate Cross Yet to Make Her Debut in the Women’s Premier League
The 33-year-old English pacer is yet to make her debut in the Women’s Premier League. In Women’s T20Is, she has taken 14 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 30.50, with her best figures being 2/18.
Cross was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 30 lakh ahead of the 2024 WPL season. Since making her international debut in 2013, she has played 18 T20Is, 72 ODIs, and 8 Test matches for England. Interestingly, Cross also worked as a commentator during the league’s inaugural edition.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Face Gujarat Giants in WPL 2025 Opener
The third edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 will be played across four cities – Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Gujarat Giants (GG) in the opening match of the upcoming T20 tournament in Vadodara, which will host six matches.
The Smriti Mandhana-led RCB will play its first home game against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on February 21. The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow is set to host four matches. The final phase of the league, including knockout matches, will be held at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
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