Staying true to the nature of auctions in cricket tournaments, the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) had a few surprises in store, wherein two uncapped Indians earned eight-figure contracts. There were also a few in-demand foreigners, as the five franchises spent Rs 12.75 crore to sign 30 players.
Let us have a look at the seven most expensive players at the WPL 2024 auction:
1. Kashvee Gautam – Rs 2 Crore (Gujarat Giants)
Amid expectations of young Kashvee Gautam attracting interest from multiple teams, not many would have been optimistic enough to have predicted a Rs 2 crore price for the 20-year-old all-rounder. But to secure her services, that is what Gujarat Giants had to fork out.
The Giants were involved in a three-pronged bidding war, alongside Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz, but having the biggest purse worked out in their favour.
Playing for Chandigarh, Kashvee was among the better performers in the Women’s Senior T20 Trophy earlier this year, picking up 12 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of only 4.14 runs per over. A competent batter too, she scored 99 runs in that competition.
2. Annabel Sutherland – Rs 2 Crore (Delhi Capitals)
The decision to not retain Annabel Sutherland for only Rs 70 lakh backfired for Gujarat Giants, as the Australian all-rounder will now be seen donning the blue and red of Delhi Capitals, who spent Rs 2 crore to sign her.
The 22-year-old attracted interest from last year’s finalists, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, and would perhaps have been even more expensive had Mumbai got any more money to spend.
Having played 22 T20Is for Australia already, Sutherland has scalped 10 wickets with her seam bowling, and has scored 97 runs. In the recently concluded Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), she scored 288 runs and scalped 23 wickets in the 14 matches she played for Melbourne Stars, highlighting her abilities in both aspects of the game.
3. Vrinda Dinesh – Rs 1.30 Crore (UP Warriorz)
Barring Kashvee Gautam, Vrinda Dinesh is another uncapped Indian player who sparked a bidding war in today’s auction. Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants were the two teams who were initially bidding for the 22-year-old batter, before UP Warriorz stole the show with a Rs 1.30 crore bid.
A top-order batter, Vrinda has been among the more consistent players in the Indian domestic circuit of late. In the Women’s Senior T20 Trophy, she scored 211 runs in eight matches for Karnataka, maintaining an average of 35.17 – but more importantly – an incredible strike rate of 154.01.
After that competition, she carried her form into the Women’s Senior One Day Trophy. Scoring 348 runs in six matches, which included two centuries and as many half-centuries, Vrinda was among the major reasons behind Karnataka finishing as runners-up.
4. Shabnim Ismail – Rs 1.20 Crore (Mumbai Indians)
Shabnim Ismail got only three opportunities whilst playing for UP Warriorz last season, but we can expect to see her a lot more frequently in WPL 2024, considering Mumbai Indians shelled Rs 1.20 crore to sign her, fending off Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The South African speedster has all the experience in the world, having played 113 T20I matches, wherein she scalped 123 wickets at an average of 18.62 and an economy rate of 5.77 runs per over.
If not brilliant, Ismail was fairly decent in the WBBL 2023, picking up 13 wickets in 14 matches for Hobart Hurricanes. She was also her team’s most economical bowler, conceding only 6.22 runs over.
5. Phoebe Litchfield – Rs 1 Crore (Gujarat Giants)
Phoebe Litchfield is only 20 years of age, but was among the only five players who secured an eight-figure contract in today’s auction. The first player to be sold, Litchfield found bids from Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, but the former emerged as winners with a Rs 1 crore bid.
In only three T20I innings, Litchfield has scored 99 runs, which includes a scintillating 19-ball 52 against West Indies only three months ago. She was also on song at the WBBL.
Playing for Sydney Thunder, Litchfield scored 309 runs in 15 matches, with an average of 28.09 and a strike rate of 130.37. Earlier in The Women’s Hundred, she was the leading run-scorer of her team, Northern Superchargers, accumulating 297 runs in 10 matches.
6. Ekta Bisht – Rs 60 Lakh (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Ekta Bisht was not a part of the inaugural edition of the WPL, but having done the inconceivable by rejuvenating her career at 37 years of age, she will be representing Smriti Mandhana’s Royal Challengers Bangalore next season.
The left-arm spinner made her T20I debut way back in 2001, and since then, made 42 appearances in this format for India. In those matches, Ekta scalped 53 runs at an average of 14.71 and a strike rate of 5.30 runs per over.
What helped her reclaim her lost position was an excellent campaign at the 2023 Women’s Senior T20 Trophy, where she scalped 15 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 12.06 – emerging as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the competition.
7. Georgia Wareham – Rs 40 Lakh (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Albeit Georgia Wareham did not find as many bidders as expected, she still ended up as the seventh most expensive player with a Rs 40 lakh bid from Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The 24-year-old Australian all-rounder has been a consistent performer in her national side, having scalped 44 wickets in 46 T20Is with her leg spin, whilst also scoring 103 runs.
At the WBBL, she was the joint-highest wicket-taker of her team – Melbourne Renegades – with 14 wickets in as many matches, whilst she also scored 295 runs. Earlier at The Hundred Women’s, she scalped 11 wickets in 10 matches for Northern Superchargers.
Notable Mentions
Barring these seven players, a total of nine players were sold for Rs 30 lakh each. They were – Meghna Singh, Lauren Cheatle and Veda Krishnamurthy to Gujarat Giants, Kate Cross, Sabbhineni Meghana, Simran Dil Bahadur and Sophie Molineux to Royal Challengers Bangalore, Danni Wyatt and Gouher Sultana to UP Warriorz.
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