WPL Auction 2023 Blog: RCB Sign Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet To Lead MI
Women’s Premier League (WPL) Auction 2023 Live Updates: Smriti Mandhana (Rs 3.40 crore) was the costliest player.
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The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) auction was held in Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre.
A total of 87 players were sold.
Rs 59.50 crore was spent.
Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive player, with Royal Challengers Bangalore signing her for Rs 3.40 crore.
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WPL 2023 Auction Live: Historic Day for Women’s Cricket
Women’s Premier League (WPL) Auction 2023 Live Updates: 15 years after the cricket fraternity witnessed the inception of a trailblazing phenomenon called the Indian Premier League, which now is among the biggest sporting events across the globe, history is set to be scripted yet again.
13 February 2023 has the potential of being remembered as the day that changed women's cricket, as the inaugural auction of the Women's Premier League will be held in Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre.
Five teams – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz will engage in a strategic battle to build a squad worthy enough of lifting the title, come 26 March.
Mallika Sagar, a Mumbai-based art collector consultant for Modern and Contemporary Indian art and partner in Art India Consultants firm, has been roped in as the auctioneer.
WPL Auction Live: The Important Numbers
Before the bidding war ensues, let us have a look at some important numbers about the auction, which will give you a fair idea of what to expect.
The minimum squad size for each team is 15, with the maximum being 18.
A maximum of 90 players can be sold.
Each franchise will be allowed to sign a maximum of seven foreign players. One of those seven players, however, should be from an associate nation.
Every team will have a purse of Rs 12 crore, which subsequently means a maximum of Rs 60 crore can be spent.
The highest base price of a player is Rs 50 lakh, whilst the lowest is Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Who Are In Set 1?
Seven players are featuring in the first set of the inaugural WPL auction. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and elegant opening batter Smriti Mandhana are the two members from the Indian team on this list, alongside five overseas superstars.
Full list of players in set 1:
Sophie Devine
Sophie Ecclestone
Ashleigh Gardner
Harmanpreet Kaur
Smriti Mandhana
Hayley Matthews
Ellyse Perry
WPL Auction Live: Will U19 Stars Players Spark Bidding Wars?
The stars of the Indian U19 women's cricket team, who recently conquered the world, could be in huge demand. Speedster Titas Sadhu, the player of the match in the final against England, has set her base price at only Rs 10 lakh.
Shweta Sehrawat, who topped the run-scoring charts for India in the competition, is also expected to be in demand.
WPL Auction Live: Titas Sadhu could be in demand.
(Photo: Twitter/BCCIWomen)
WPL Auction Live: Overseas Stars To Be in Huge Demand
Who are the overseas stars likely to fetch mega-money bids?
Iconic Australian all-rounder, Ellyse Perry is certainly a prime candidate, alongside her teammate Ashleigh Gardner. New Zealand's Suzie Bates, West Indies' Hayley Matthews and England's Sophie Ecclestone could also feature on the wish list of all teams.
Watch out for the effective Bangladeshi duo, Jahanara Alam and Salma Khatun, for they have been pillars for the Tigresses over the years.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Moments Away
The five teams are ready with their strategies. The players are ready to find out which jersey they will be donning next month. Mallika Sagar is ready with her hammer.
Let the action commence.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: BCCI Top Brass Kick-Start Proceedings
Now then, the first player will be out of the bag any moment now, but before that, it is time for the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) officials to unveil the official logo of the competition, and say a few words.
WPL Auction Live: Smriti Goes to RCB
And the first player out of the bag is - Smriti Mandhana.
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore are engaging in a fierce two-way battle. The price has sky-rocketed from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2.60 crore in absolutely no time. The price is now over Rs 3 crore!
And SOLD! Smriti Mandhana will play for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who have signed the opener for Rs 3.40 crore.
Smriti Mandhana was sold to RCB
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: MI Buy Harmanpreet Kaur
The next player out of the bag is the Indian skipper, Harmanpreet Singh.
RCB showed interest, but the bidding war is primarily being fought between the other two IPL franchises, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.
But here comes the UP Warriorz. They make a bid of Rs 1.60 crore but MI is back with Rs 1.80 crore, and it is the winning bid.
Harmanpreet Kaur sold to Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.80 crore.
MI signed Harmanpreet Kaur.
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Sophie Devine
What an absolute STEAL!
Royal Challengers Bangalore open the bidding for Kiwi all-rounder Sophie Devine at Rs 50 lakh, and it is the closing bid as well.
WPL Auction Live: Hayley Matthews Unsold
We have the first unsold player in the history of WPL auctions. West Indies' all-rounder Hayley Matthews is unfortunate not to find a bidder, but she could return in the accelerated round again.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Buy Ashleigh Gardner
Australian all-rounder, Ashleigh Gardner has sparked a full-blown bidding war! MI, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants are interested as the price crossed Rs 3 crore mark in no time.
But GG come again with Rs 3.20 crore, and it proves to be enough. Ashleigh Gardner will be playing for the Gujarat Giants.
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Ellyse Perry
Another Aussie all-rounder, Ellyse Perry is the next player out of the bag and she finds interest from Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals.
RCB have won the fight, signing Perry for a fairly reasonable price of Rs 1.70 crore.
WPL Auction Live: Ecclestone Goes To UP Warriorz
Time for the first English player to feature in today's auction, and it is the spin-bowling all-rounder, Sophie Ecclestone.
Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz are bidding to avail her services, but UP Warriorz have defeated competition. They have their target for Rs 1.80 crore.
With this, we come to the conclusion of Set 1.
WPL Auction Live: Big Names Coming Up In Set 2
Like the first set, the second set will also feature plenty of superstars. From the Indian team, all-rounder Deepti Sharma and speedster Renuka Singh will go under the hammer. Among the foreigners, South Africa's Shabnim Ismail and New Zealand's Amelia Kerr could fetch big bucks.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Deepti Goes to UP Warriorz
Right on cue, the first player out of the bag from the second set is Deepti Sharma.
Delhi Capitals open the bidding, but Gujarat Giants have now joined the bidding battle. The price crosses Rs 1 crore mark!
Guess what? We have a new entrant, and it is the Mumbai Indians. The price has now crossed Rs 2 crore.
Another new entrant! The UP Warriorz have joined the bidding. And they have their player. The all-rounder, who plays domestic cricket for Bengal, will represent UP Warriorz for Rs 2.60 crore.
Deepti Sharma was signed by UP Warriorz.
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: RCB Buy Renuka Singh
Time for another Indian player to go under the hammer - this time, it is the speedster Renuka Singh.
Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore are interested in her services, as the price reaches Rs 1.50 crore in absolutely no time.
And it is the winning bid. Renuka Singh goes to RCB for Rs 1.50 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: RCB Buy Renuka Singh
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Nat Sciver-Brunt Goes To MI
The next player out of the bag is English all-rounder, Natalie Sciver-Brunt.
It is a three-way battle between Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals & UP Warriorz. MI have won the fight by spending Rs 3.20 crore.
Nat Sciver-Brunt will be seen playing for Rs 3.20 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Nat Sciver-Brunt Goes To MI
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Tahlia McGrath To Play For UPW
Next up - Australian all-rounder Tahlia McGrath.
Gujarat Giants and Delhi Capitals are in the battle, but here comes a new entrant in UP Warriorz.
And UP Warriorz have managed to sign the player with just one bid, at Rs 1.40 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Beth Mooney Goes To Gujarat Giants
Next player to be auctioned is the vastly experienced Australian wicketkeeper-batter, Beth Mooney.
Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians enter a fierce battle. But it the former who have emerged victorious with a winning bid of Rs 2 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Beth Mooney Goes To Gujarat Giants
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Shabnim Ismail Goes To UP Warriorz
The next player to be auctioned is the first South African to feature in today's auction - pacer Shabnim Ismail.
There is interest in her, but UP Warriorz fend off all challenges to sign her for Rs 1 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Shabnim Ismail Goes To UP Warriorz
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Amelia Kerr Joins Kaur in MI
New Zealand's talented youngster, Amelia Kerr is the next to be auctioned.
And get the alliterations ready, for Kerr will be playing with Kaur in Mumbai Indians, who have signed the player for Rs 1 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Giants Sign Dunkley
English batter Sophia Dunkley is out of the bag.
And she will be joining the Aussie duo of Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner in Gujarat Giants. The 24-year-old is sold for Rs 60 lakh.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: DC Sign Jemimah Rodrigues
Delhi Capitals finally have their first player!
Jemimah Rodrigues, the prodigious batter from Mumbai, sparked a bidding war but ultimately found a home in Delhi Capitals, for a contract for Rs 2.20 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: DC Sign Jemimah Rodrigues
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Meg Lanning Goes To DC
With one, comes another! Jemimah Rodrigues will partner Australian batter Meg Lanning in Delhi Capitals, who have won the battle to acquire the latter's services with the winning bid of Rs 1.10 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Meg Lanning Goes To DC
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Shafali To Play For DC
Three in a row!
Delhi Capitals are going all guns blazing in this third set, as they have now signed Shafali Verma. The skipper of the World Cup-winning Indian U19 team is signed for Rs 2 crore.
WPL Auction 2023 Live: Shafali To Play For DC
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Harmanpreet Will Lead MI
While it was always expected, we now have the official confirmation that Harmanpreet Kaur will lead Mumbai Indians.
WPL Auction Live: Heather Knight Unsold
Now then, isn't this a surprise? Heather Knight, the vastly experienced English all-rounder, does not find a bidder.
WPL Auction Live: Annabel Goes To Gujarat Giants
Next up is Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland.
There is a three way fight between Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz, but Gujarat wins the battle with a bid of Rs 70 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Annabel Goes To Gujarat Giants
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Harleen Deol
Next out of the bag after a couple of unsold players is Indian all-rounder, Harleen Deol.
Gujarat Giants open the bidding at Rs 40 lakh, and it is the closing big as well/
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Harleen Deol
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Pooja Vastrakar Goes To MI
Having signed Harmanpreet Kaur earlier, Mumbai Indians have now added another player from the Indian national team to their ranks.
All-rounder Pooja Vastrakar goes to MI Paltan for Rs 1.90 crore.
WPL Auction Live: Pooja Vastrakar Goes To MI
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Rope in Dottin
They are building a team full of overseas superstars, are the Gujarat Giants. Having signed four foreigners already, the team now adds a fifth to the mix by signing West Indian all-rounder, Deandra Dottin, for Rs 60 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Rope in Dottin
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Yastika Bhatia
Yastika Bhatia, the prodigious left-handed batter, has sparked a three-way bidding war between Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Giants & UP Warriorz.
But MI have the last laugh, with a winning bid of Rs 1.50 crore.
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Yastika Bhatia
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Richa Ghosh Goes To RCB
Next out of the bag is the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter, Richa Ghosh. Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore are interested in acquiring the services of the explosive cricketer from West Bengal.
UP Warriorz deliberated, and deliberated, and deliberated even more, but never came in with a bid. RCB wins this battle, signing the player for Rs 1.90 crore.
WPL Auction Live: Richa Ghosh Goes To RCB
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Rope in Alyssa Healy
Australian batter, Alyssa Healy will join her baggy greens teammate Tahlia McGrath in UP Warriorz. After a battle with Mumbai Indians, UP sign the player for Rs 70 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Rope in Alyssa Healy
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Anjali Sarvani Goes To UP Warriorz
And UP Warriorz have signed another player in no time. 25-year-old left-arm pacer from India, Anjali Sarvani goes to the Capri Global-owned franchise for Rs 55 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Anjali Sarvani Goes To UP Warriorz
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Sign Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Amid a host of players who were not fortunate enough to find a team, UP Warriorz are quietly going about their business, signing players at cut-throat prices.
The 31-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner from India, Rajeshwari Gayakwad goes to UP for Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Sign Rajeshwari Gayakwad
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Plenty of Players Going Unsold
Now that the major bit of the business is done, and majority of the purse is spent, a lot of players are going unsold. Among Indians, Taniyaa Bhatia, Sushma Verma & Poonam Yadav have not been able to find any bidders.
Here are some renowned players who have gone unsold:
(Photo: WPL)
WPL Auction Live: Radha Yadav Goes To DC
Indian all-rounder Radha Yadav, who bowled well against Pakistan in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 match yesterday, has found a team in Delhi Capitals. She joins Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma at DC for Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: DC Sign Shikha Pandey
Next up is Shikha Pandey, the 33-year-old Indian pacer. An experienced campaigner, she has played 3 Test matches for India alongside 111 limited-overs games.
Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants are interested in her, but DC win the battle with the winning bid of Rs 60 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Sneh Rana
Gujarat Giants have signed their second Indian player in Sneh Rana. Besides the Giants, the UP Warriorz were also interested in the 29-year-old all-rounder's services, but with the winning bid of Rs 75 lakh, she will be donning the orange jersey.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Sneh Rana
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: DC Buy Marizanne Kapp
Delhi Capitals mean business, and business only in this session. After signing Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav, they have acquired the services of South African all-rounder, Marizanne Kapp, for Rs 1.5 crore.
WPL Auction Live: DC Buy Marizanne Kapp
(Photo: The Quint)
WPL Auction Live: Parshavi Chopra Goes To UP Warriorz
Parshavi Chopra, the 16-year-old all-rounder who was impressive in the U19 T20 World Cup, has been signed by UP Warriorz for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Titas Sadhu Roped in By DC
The player of the match in India's victory against England in the U19 T20 World Cup final, Titas Sadhu will be joining fellow prodigies Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues in the Delhi Capitals team.
She has been signed for Rs 25 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Shweta Sehrawat Goes To UP Warriorz
UP Warriorz have added another promising talent to their ranks by signing Shweta Sehrawat. India's leading run-scorer at the U19 T20 World Cup has been signed for Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Sign S Yashasri
They are building a team for the future here, are the UP Warriorz. Another young talent joins the team in the form of S Yashari. The 18-year-old has been signed for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Accelerated Process To Start Soon
The action will be back soon with the accelerated process. For those unfamiliar with the concept, every single player left to be auction won't go under the hammer from now onwards.
Instead, each franchise has been asked to send a list of maximum 15 players, who will be auctioned very shortly. Be with us!
WPL Auction Live: Mathematics Time
A whopping Rs 43.75 crore of the total available Rs 60 crore has already been spent, on only 34 players.
Here's where each team stands ahead of the accelerated process.
WPL Auction Live: Mathematics Time
(Photo: WPL)
WPL Auction Live: UP Warriorz Sign Kiran Navgire
The first player to be sold in the accelerated process is Kiran Navgire. The 28-year-old batter from Nagaland has been signed by UP Warriorz for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Sabbineni Meghana Goes To Gujarat Giants
Sabbineni Meghana is the next player out of the bag, and she goes to Gujarat Giants. The 26-year-old batter has been sold for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Erin Burns
Royal Challengers Bangalore have signed their third overseas player! Erin Burns, the 34-year-old all-rounder from Australia, will join Ellyse Perry at the Bold Army for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Heather Knight Headed To MI
Another Australian cricketer finds a team in the Women's Premier League.
This time, it is the 26-year-old all-rounder, Heather Graham. She has been signed for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Grace Harris Sold To UP Warriorz
Australian all-rounders have been in huge demand today.
Another one from the lot, Grace Harris is sold to UP Warriorz for Rs 75 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Georgia Wareham
The sequence gets repeated, again. The next Aussie all-rounder to be sold is Georgia Wareham. The 23-year-old will be representing Gujarat Giants, who have acquired her services for Rs 75 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Alice Capsey Goes To DC
Delhi Capitals had so far signed only two foreigners, but they now have three overseas players in their rank following the signing of Alice Capsey. The English all-rounder is sold for Rs 75 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Isabelle Wong
Mumbai Indians have added another English player to their squad after signing Nat Sciver-Brunt earlier on. Isabelle Wong, the 20-year-old all-rounder, will play for MI after being signed for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Mansi Joshi Goes To Gujarat Giants
Mansi Joshi, the 29-year-old all-rounder who has represented India in both T20Is and ODIs, has been sold to Gujarat Giants for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Devika Vaidya Signed By UP Warriorz
A fierce bidding battle is a tad rare in the accelerated process, but we just witnessed one, as Delhi Capitals and UP Warriorz went all out for Devika Vaidya.
However, the 25-year-old all-rounder will represent the latter, who won the battle with a bid of Rs 1.40 crore.
WPL Auction Live: Amanjot Kaur Joins MI
Mumbai Indians have built a team full of all-rounders. The latest to join Harmanpreet Kaur's team is Amanjot Kaur. The 22-year-old from Punjab has been signed for Rs 50 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Hemalatha
Dayalan Hemalatha, the 28-year-old all-rounder who has represented the national team on 24 occasions, has been signed by Gujarat Giants for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Lauren Bell Goes To UP Warriorz
Lauren Bell will join her Three Lions teammate Sophie Ecclestone in UP Warriorz, who have signed the 22-year-old for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Monica Patel Goes To Gujarat Giants
Having signed a plethora of batters and all-rounders, Gujarat Giants have now shifted their attention to bowlers. Monica Patel, the left-arm seamer, joins the Giants for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Tara Norris Joins DC
Now then, this is a special story. An American will be featuring in WPL 2023.
Tara Norris, the young bowler who represents USA, has been signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: DC Sign Laura Harris
Another Aussie to have found a team in WPL. Laura Harris, the 32-year-old batter, has been signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 45 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Dhara Gujjar To MI
Mumbai Indians have a knack for turning raw talents into superstars - can they repeat it with Dhara Gujjar? The 20-year-old batter from Bengal is sold for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Jasia Akhtar To DC
Delhi Capitals have bolstered their batting department with the addition of Jasia Akhtar. The 34-year-old, who has never represented the national team, has been signed for Rs 20 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Disha Kasat Joins RCB
Uncapped Indian batters are being sold at cut-throat prices here. 25-year-old Disha Kasat joins Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Laxmi Yadav To UP Warriorz
Having signed Alyssa Healy earlier, UP Warriorz have added an Indian backup wicket-keeping option in Laxmi Yadav. The player from Delhi is sold for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Indrani Roy Joins RCB
We have entered that stage of the auction where teams are planning about back-ups. After UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore have also signed a back-up wicketkeeper in Indrani Roy for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: DC Sign Minnu Mani
Another all-rounder added to the Delhi Capitals' squad. This time, it is Kerala's Minnu Mani, who is sold for Rs 20 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Shreyanka Patil Joins RCB
How about some local flavour in what is looking like a spectacular Royal Challengers Bangalore squad? The team management has done just that by signing Shreyanka Patil, the 20-year-old all-rounder, for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Kanika Sold To RCB
Another 20-year-old all-rounder, Kanika Ahuja will join Shreyanka at Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Punjab-based cricketer has been sold for Rs 35 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Tanuja Kanwer Joins Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants have also bolstered their all-rounders' department by signing Tanuja Kanwer for Rs 50 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Saika Headed To MI
After Dhara Gujjar, another bowler from Bengal, Saika Ishaque is headed to Mumbai Indians. The left-arm spinner has been signed for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Asha Shobana
And the last player to be sold from this round is Asha Shobana. The all-rounder goes to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Heather Knight Goes To RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore ended the first acceleration round by signing Asha Shobana, and they have started the second with the purchase of Heather Knight. The English all-rounder has been sold for Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Hayley Matthews Joins MI
Hayley Matthews going unsold in the first round was a surprise, but the Caribbean all-rounder finally has found a team in Mumbai Indians. She is sold for the winning bid of Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Taniyaa Bhatia Goes To DC
The Delhi Capitals was lacking a wicket-keeper, but not anymore. Taniyaa Bhatia, who has played 53 T20Is for India, goes to DC for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: GG Get Sushma Verma
Gujarat Giants have found a back-up wicketkeeping option to partner Beth Mooney. Veteran Indian wicketkeeper Sushma Verma joins the franchise for Rs 60 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Poonam Yadav Goes To DC
The veterans are finding bidders in this round. Poonam Yadav, the 31-year-old leggie who has played 72 T20Is for India, goes to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Jess Jonassen Joins DC
Another one for Delhi Capitals. Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen will join her countrymates Meg Lanning and Laura Harris at DC for Rs 50 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Giants Sign Hurley Gala
Gujarat Giants have picked one for the future. Hurley Gala, the 16-year-old all-rounder joins the franchise for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: DC Buy Sneha Deepthi
More batting cover for the Delhi Capitals. The team that will feature the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, have now signed Andhra's Sneha Deepthi for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Arundhati Goes To DC
Delhi Capitals are in a hurry to complete their squad. Their next acquisition is a 25-year-old all-rounder, Arundhati Reddy, for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Chloe Tryon
Mumbai Indians complete their overseas quota with the signing of Chloe Tryon. The South African all-rounder, who recently played a match-winning knock in a T20I game against India, has been signed for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Dane Van Niekerk Goes To RCB
Is this not a good story? Out of South Africa's T20 World Cup squad for fitness issues, Dane Van Niekerk finds a WPL team in Royal Challengers Bangalore. She is sold for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Preeti Bose Joins RCB
Another signing by the Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have bolstered their bowling ranks by signing Preeti Bose for Rs 30 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Simran Shaikh Goes To UP Warriorz
UP Warriorz are the first team to extinguish their funds, and subsequently, complete their squad. Their last purchase is a 21-year-old batter, Simran Shaikh, for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Gujarat Sign Ashwani Kumari
Gujarat Giants have signed their 11th all-rounder! The latest entrant in that category is Ashwani Kumari, who is sold for Rs 35 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Humairaa Kaazi Goes To MI
Mumbai Indians will have some local flavour as well. An all-rounder hailing from the city, Humairaa Kaazi has joined Harmanpreet Kaur's side for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Poonam Khemnar
Following Kiran Navgire's footsteps, Poonam Khemnar becomes the second batter from the Nagaland team to find a bidder. She will represent Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Komal Zanzad Goes To RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore are on the brink of completing their squad. Their latest acquisition is a bowler, Komal Zanzad, who has been signed for Rs 25 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Parunika Sisodia Joins Gujarat Giants
Young left-arm spinner, Parunika Sisodia will join her U-19 teammate Hurley Gala in Gujarat Giants. She is sold for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Priyanka Bala
Mumbai Indians have added the back-up wicketkeeping option in the form of Priyanka Bala, who is sold for Rs 20 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: RCB Sign Megan Schutt
Royal Challengers Bangalore complete their overseas quota with the signing of Megan Schutt. The Australian pacer is sold for Rs 40 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Shabnam Shakil Joins Gujarat Giants
One of the youngest players in today's auction at just 15 years of age, pacer Shabnam Shakil is sold to Gujarat Giants for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: MI Acquire Sonam Yadav's Services
Another 15-year-old manages to find a bidder! Left-arm spinner Sonam Yadav has been signed by Mumbai Indians for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Jintimani Kalita Goes To MI
Mumbai Indians are on the verge of completing their squad. Their latest acquisition is 19-year-old all-rounder, Jintimani Kalita, for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: MI Sign Neelam Bisht
And right on cue, Mumbai Indians have extinguished their budget. The last player to enter Harmanpreet Kaur's formidable side is Punjab-based all-rounder Neelam Bisht, for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Sahana Pawar Goes To RCB
Royal Challengers Bangalore started the proceedings today with the acquisition of Smriti Mandhana, and they will also end the day by signing the very last player out of the bag, Sahana Pawar.
The spinner from Karnataka is sold for Rs 10 lakh.
WPL Auction Live: Curtain Call
And with that, we come to the conclusion of what will undoubtedly, indisputably and unequivocally go down as the day that changed women's cricket as we knew it.
Don't go anywhere just yet, as we summarise the day for you.
WPL Auction Live: Day In a Nutshell
Amid the fierce paddle-battles, the numerous phone calls and the innumerable excel drafts, a lot happened today which will decide the fate of each of the five teams in the competitions.
Here's what happened:
Out of the 90 slots available, 87 players were sold.
Rs 59.50 crore out of the available Rs 60 crore was spent.
Among them, 30 were overseas players.
Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz are the only two teams not to fill the 18 slots available.
Each team was allotted six slots for overseas players, and all of those were filled.
Smriti Mandhana was the top earner, going to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 3.40 crore.
Australia's Ashleigh Gardner and England's Nat Sciver-Brunt are joint-second on that list.
Gardner was sold to Gujarat Giants for Rs 3.20 crore. At the same price, Sciver-Brunt was sold to Mumbai Indians.
The inaugural WPL edition will be held between 4-26 March in Mumbai. We will be bringing you live action from the matches.
Till then, farewell!