Published - | Updated - February 14, 2023 07:06 am
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The first Women’s Premier League auction got off to an impressive start when India’s Smriti Mandhana sparked a fierce bidding war between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Indian opener, who went up for auction first at the major event, was purchased by RCB for a staggering INR 3.4 crore.
Two of the most prestigious cricket teams in the world, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, took notice of Smriti Mandhana, who was predicted to earn a significant quantity of money at the auction. Mandhana became the most expensive player in the auction thanks to the victory of the Bangalore-based club in the bidding war.
After the coveted defeat of the Indian opener, RCBobtained the services of seasoned New Zealand cricketer Sophie Devine for just INR 50 lakh, which, in the grand scheme of things, was a complete steal. In the first round of the auction, Mike Hesson’s team made another high-profile acquisition when they secured Australian legend Ellyse Perry for INR 1.7 crore.
Even after signing Mandhana, Devine, and Perry to big-name contracts, the Royal Challengers Bangalore didn’t stop there. They spent big money on Renuka Singh, the ICC’s Emerging Player of 2022. The youthful pacer cost a whopping INR 1.5 crore to acquire. When RCB signed teenage U19 batting sensation Richa Ghosh to their roster, they added another star to their already excellent lineup.
Richa, who was the driving force behind the U19 team’sperformed an exhilarating innings against Pakistan on Sunday, February 12, to lead her team to an exciting victory. She had a fantastic T20 World Cup campaign the previous month. Her acquisition cost a hefty INR 1.9 crore. The aggressive middle-order hitter, who is only 19 years old but already has quite the reputation in white-ball cricket, will be one of the players to watch out for in the competition.
The team made a number of acquisitions during the accelerated auction phase, with Australian all-rounder Eric Burns being another steal at a base price of INR 30 lakh. To the surprise of many, England captain Heather Knight, who wasn’t purchased in the first round, has also joined the RCB team for her base price of INR 40 lakh.Dane van Niekerk, who was also signed for her base price, will add a touch of South Africa to the franchise. Due to her all-around skills, the star all-rounder who was controversially left out of South Africa’s T20 World Cup roster will prove to be an essential addition to the team.
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Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Erin Burns, Disha Kasat, Indrani Roy, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Shobana, Heather Knight, Dane van Niekerk, Preeti Bose, Poonam Khemnar, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt, and Sahana Pawar make up the Royal Challengers Bangalore final squad.
| Player Name | Role | Price Details |
| Smriti Mandhana | Batter | 3.4 crore |
| Sophie Devine | All-rounder | 50 lakh |
| Ellyse Perry | All-rounder | 1.7 crore |
| Renuka Singh | Bowler | 1.5 crore |
| Richa Ghosh | Wicket-keeper | 1.9 crore |
| Erin Burns | All-rounder | 30 lakh |
| Disha Kasat | Batter | 10 lakh |
| Indrani Roy | Wicket-keeper | 10 lakh |
| Shreyanka Patil | All-rounder | 10 lakh |
| Kanika Ahuja | All-rounder | 35 lakh |
| Asha Shobana | All-rounder | 10 lakh |
| Heather Knight | All-rounder | 40 lakh |
| Dane van Niekerk | All-rounder | 30 lakh |
| Preeti Bose | Bowler | 30 lakh |
| Poonam Khemnar | All-rounder | 10 lakh |
| Komal Zanzad | Bowler | 25 lakh |
| Megan Schutt | Bowler | 40 lakh |
| Sahana Pawar | Bowler | 10 lakh |
Also Read : India Smriti Mandhana: Excited to wear red, we will try to win the cupIndia