In Mumbai, India, the uncapped pair of Kashvee Gautam and Vrinda Dinesh were the top earners at the WPL auction, pocketing bids of INR 2 crore (Gujarat Giants) and INR 1.3 crore (UP Warriorz) respectively.
Australian allrounder Annabel Sutherland was the priciest foreign player, securing a bid of INR 2 crore, with Delhi Capitals spending 88.8% of their remaining purse of INR 2.25 crore on her.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was a surprise exclusion for a second consecutive season, while Deandra Dottin, Kim Garth, and other players in the highest price bracket also missed out.
Ekta Bisht received the highest bid of INR 60 lakh among capped Indian players, while Veda Krishnamurthy and S Meghana were picked at their base prices of INR 30 lakh in the final round of auctions.
The Giants, who had the highest purse, acquired the services of the seam-bowling allrounder Gautam for a record INR 2 crore after an intense bidding war. Vrinda, with her consistent power-hitting, was also in high demand and was finally signed by the Warriorz for INR 1.3 crore.
Phoebe Litchfield, a breakout star from Australia, was signed by Giants for INR 1 crore, after a remarkable run in the WBBL.
The second edition of WPL is scheduled for February 2024, with venues yet to be decided.
