RCB bags Smriti Mandhana for Rs 3.40 Cr in Women's Premier League auction

Smriti Mandhana stole the thunder in the inaugural Women's Premier League auctions as Royal Challengers Bangalore pipped Mumbai Indians in a bidding war to buy the India vice-captain for Rs 3.40 crore ($410,000) on Monday.

The second costliest Indian player so far is all-rounder Deepti Sharma who UP Warriorz bought for Rs 2.6 crore.

However, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur came much cheaper for Mumbai Indians at nearly half the price of Mandhana at Rs 1.80 crore.

"Everyone knows Mandhana and Perry, we were pretty committed to the couple of people we wanted to get. We're very happy to get such quality players. It's a dream result for us to get Mandhana, Perry, and Devine," RCB Director of Cricket Mike Hesson said during a media interaction.

"Smriti has got plenty of captaincy experience and is familiar with the Indian conditions, so highly likely (she'll be the captain)."

One of the prominent picks during the first round was Australia's off-spin all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, bought by Gautam Adani-owned Gujarat Giants for Rs 3.20 crore ($386,000).

Star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry received a cool Rs 1.70 crore ($205,000) winning bid from RCB, who also got New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine dirt cheap at a base price of Rs 50 lakh.

RCB has already exhausted Rs 5.60 crore out of Rs 12 crore purse, and they need to get another 12 players, with the rest of the Rs 6.40 crore to have a mandatory squad size of 15 players.

UP Warriorz also got England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone on board for Rs 1.80 crore.

A total of 409 cricketers will go under the hammer at the inaugural Women's Premier League auction, with the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Alyssa Healy, and Sophie Ecclestone keeping themselves in the highest base price bracket of Rs 50 lakh.

IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal told PTI last week that the entire 22 matches will be held in Mumbai from March 4-26.

Of 409 players, 246 are Indians, and 163 are overseas, of which eight are from the associate nations.

The total number of capped players is 202, while 199 are uncapped, and eight are from the associate nations.

A maximum of 90 slots are available with the five teams, of which 30 are for overseas players.

With the five teams sold for Rs 4669.99 crore and the BCCI selling the media rights for Rs 951 crore, the WPL is the second-biggest T20 League in the world behind the Indian Premier League.

Apart from three IPL team owners—Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals—Capri Global Holdings (Lucknow) and the Adani Sportsline have bought the five franchises.

Each team will have a purse of Rs 12 crore at the players' auction and will need to buy a minimum of 15 players and a maximum of 18. Up to five overseas players, including one from an associate member country, will be allowed in the playing eleven.