WPL auction: Smriti Mandhana goes to Royal Challengers for Rs 3.4 cr

India’s star opener and vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, emerged as the most expensive player in the first-ever auction for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Monday. Mandhana, 26, was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 3.4 crore in an auction dominated by Indian players. 

This was in contrast to the player auctions for the men’s Indian Premier League, which is normally dominated by foreign players. 

Yet, overseas women players such as English cricketer Natalie Sciver, 30, and Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, 25, came close to Mandhana’s final price, having been picked up for Rs 3.2 crore each by Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, respectively. 

The second costliest Indian player was all-rounder Deepti Sharma, 25, who was bought by UP Warriorz for Rs 2.6 crore, while the captain of the Indian national squad, Harmanpreet Kaur, went to Mumbai Indians for Rs 1.8 crore. 

Though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the organiser of the WPL, had announced a list of 409 players before the auction, this number was increased to 449 players at the last minute at the request of the five franchises participating in the auction.