Smriti Mandhana, India’s prominent women’s cricketer, emerged as a hot property during the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) auctions. The Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore engaged in a bidding war for the opener, and eventually, RCB secured her services for a whopping 3.4 crore.
After the auction, a video of Mandhana celebrating her selection with Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, and other players went viral. The left-hander expressed her excitement and happiness about becoming one of the costliest players in the tournament.
Mandhana also reflected on the significance of having an auction of this sort for women’s cricket, as she said, “We have been watching an auction of men, and I was glued to them. It is such a big moment for us to have an auction of this sort.” She also spoke about her excitement to play for a big franchise like RCB and expressed her eagerness to try to win the cup.
Apart from Mandhana, RCB also added a star-studded list of players, including Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh, and Richa Ghosh. RCB Director of Cricket Mike Hesson stated in the press conference that the franchise was committed to getting the players they wanted and is thrilled to have Smriti, Perry, and Devine in their squad.
The RCB squad looks strong heading into the WPL, and their acquisitions have undoubtedly boosted their chances of success in the tournament.
