RCB spent nearly 50% of their INR 12 crore purse on three players in the first marquee set – Mandhana, Ellyse Perry and Sophie Devine.
The first player to be sold at the first Women’s Premier League auction in Mumbai was Smriti Mandhana, who was purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore for about US$415,000 (INR 3.4 crore).
Three players in the first marquee set accounted for approximately half of Challengers’ INR 12 crore budget. They also purchased all-rounders Ellyse Perry for INR 1.7 crore and Sophie Devine at her basic price of INR 50 lakh (about USD 61,000). (USD 207,000 approx).
Then, for INR 1.9 crore, they signed powerful 19-year-old wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who last month participated in India’s successful Under-19 World Cup campaign (USD 232,000 approx).
The RCB director of cricket Mike Hesson remarked, “Everyone knows Mandhana and Perry, and we were quite committed to the two of individuals we wanted to recruit. “We are overjoyed to have such excellent guys. For us, getting Mandhana, Perry, and Devine is a dream outcome. Smriti has extensive experience as a captain and is familiar with the Indian environment, making it quite likely that she will serve as captain.”
Harmanpreet Kaur was acquired by Mumbai Indians for INR 1.8 crore after the team, which was unable to acquire Mandhana, outbid Challengers and Delhi Capitals for her services (USD 220,000 approx). Pooja Vastrakar, an all-around player, and Yastika Bhatia, a singer, were two additional high-profile Indian additions for Mumbai (USD 183,000 approx).
At INR 2.6 crore, all-arounder Deepti Sharma was the second-most expensive Indian (USD 317,000 approx). She will take the field for the UP Warriorz, a team that will be based in her native Uttar Pradesh.
Gardner, Nat Sciver-priciest Brunt’s purchases made abroad
The No. 1 all-rounder in women’s T20Is, Ashleigh Gardner, received the joint second-highest bid of INR 3.2 crore (about USD 390,000) from Gujarat Giants, along with Nat Sciver-Brunt of England, who was signed by Mumbai for the same sum.
Gardner has the greatest strike rate of any batsman with more than 1000 T20I runs, at 133.62. In Australia’s convincing victory over New Zealand on Friday in their opening match of the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, she collected five wickets.
Sciver-Brunt, a powerful middle-order hitter and seamer, finished third in the 2022 Women’s Hundred in terms of runs scored. Her 122.58 strike rate resulted in 228 runs over six innings for the Trent Rockets.
Sophie Ecclestone, a left-arm spinner who plays for England, was acquired by Warriorz for INR 1.8 crore (about USD 220,000), while Beth Mooney, who scored the most runs during Australia’s December tour of India, was acquired by Giants for INR 2 crore (USD 244,000 approx).
Warriorz purchased Australian wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy for a price of INR 70 lakh (about USD 85,000), but Meg Lanning, Australia’s previous ODI and T20 World Cup-winning captain, was passed over. Capitals signed it for INR 1.1 crore (USD 134,000 approx). Marizanne Kapp, a South African all-rounder who earned the highest bid among all-rounders outside the marquee group at INR 1.5 crore, was acquired by Capitals as they maintained their international acquisition binge (USD 183,000 approx).
The only player from the initial marquee group who wasn’t purchased was West Indies hitter Hayley Matthews. Suzie Bates, a former captain of New Zealand, Chamari Athapaththu, Sune Luus, and the Australian duo of Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen were among the other unexpected international withdrawals prior to the commencement of the accelerated round of the auction.
Capitals sign India’s Gen Z
Along with Australia captain Lanning, Capitals acquired Indian batters Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma for a combined INR 2.2 crore (about USD 268,000) and INR 2 crore (approximately USD 244,000). This gave them a wide range of leadership choices.
Parth Jindal, a co-owner of the Capitals, responded, “No, it’s too early for that, but of course there are captaincy choices among those names. “One is Shafali, the leader of the India Under-19 team, and the other is Meg Lanning, a legendary player. Jemimah is also a fantastic game reader. But in the end, everything is up to the coach, as well as who else we pick up.”
