The Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction yielded some big buys, with Indian cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana topping the list with a massive Rs 3.4 crore. 25-year-old jack-of-all-trades Deepti Sharma, who is not new to the T20 format, also went for a huge sum as UP Warriorz ended up shelling out Rs 2.6 crore for her. While Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was picked by Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.8 crore, two young stars of the team – Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma – both went to Delhi Capitals for amounts north of Rs 2 crore. Among the foreign talent, Ashleigh Gardner and Nat Sciver were the top picks from the five participating franchises.
Here’s a look at the Top 5 Big Money Buys in the Inaugural WPL Auction –
Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – Rs 3.4 crore
The first player to go under the hammer in the auction went for the highest price when RCB enlisted the services of the talented opener. Mandhana is known for her stylish offside shots and with plenty of experience under her belt, she could be a solid option for the captaincy.
Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants) – Rs 3.2 crore
Two-time T20 World Cup winner Ashleigh Gardner was signed by Gujarat Giants for Rs 3.2 crore. The all-rounder is a top member of her national team and is also known for her fieldwork.
Nat Sciver (Mumbai Indians) – Rs 3.2 crore
Mumbai Indians signed English all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt for Rs 3.2 crore after a bidding war with Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz. Sciver has been a seasoned campaigner with her national team.
Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz) – Rs 2.6 crore
All-rounders are extremely crucial to a team’s success in T20s and Deepti Sharma is one of the best in this category. So it came as no surprise that UP Warriorz paid top dollar for its services.
Jemimah Rodrigues (Capitals of Delhi) – Rs 2.2 crore
Jemimah, fresh off her match-winning half century against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, is a future superstar. With her ability to play the finisher, Jemimah was one of the most lucrative Indian players in the auction and became the biggest buy for Delhi Capitals.
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