India’s vice-captain and opening batter Smriti Mandhana described the inaugural Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) public sale as an enormous second for girls’s cricket. She asserted that there are thrilling occasions forward.

The fashionable 26-year-old batter was the primary participant to go below the hammer on the WPL 2023 public sale in Mumbai. As anticipated, there was heavy bidding for her. Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had been concerned in an intense tussle. Ultimately, Mandhana was bought to RCB for ₹3.4 crore.

Sharing her ideas after being bought for an enormous sum on the inaugural WPL public sale, the left-handed batter advised JioCinema and Sports18:

“I believe it’s been over final ten years we’ve been watching auctions for males and it was simply wonderful as a result of I’m at all times glued to auctions of males each time they used to occur. It’s such an enormous second for girls’s cricket too for us to have an public sale of this kind.

“I believe that is historical past, firstly the announcement of WPL after which this public sale. I believe the entire thing is thrilling and I’m saying it’s an thrilling time forward.”

Having made her worldwide debut in 2013, Mandhana has gone on to ascertain herself as one of many largest names in worldwide cricket. Talking particularly of her T20I numbers, she has performed 112 matches, scoring 2651 runs at a mean of 27.32 and a strike fee of 123.13, with 20 half-centuries to her title.

“Actually excited to be a part of such an enormous franchise” – Smriti Mandhana on enjoying for RCB

In the course of the interplay, Mandhana additionally opened up in regards to the feeling of representing a longtime franchise like RCB. Stating that she could be very excited to be part of the Bangalore ladies’s group, the star cricketer commented:

“I believe the legacy of RCB is manner excessive as a result of this franchise is current from previous 10 years for males’s IPL they usually have constructed an enormous fan base. So, yeah, actually excited to be part of such an enormous franchise and I hope that we each can collectively construct an incredible group. I believe I’m actually excited to be the a part of RCB.

“Namaskara Bengaluru”, I believe that’s how they are saying and I am additionally excited to be sporting the pink colour and going on the market and attempting to get the cup. All of the followers preserve supporting us and we are going to attempt to have an incredible event.”

Other than Mandhana, RCB additionally bought Ellyse Perry (₹1.7 crore), Renuka Singh (₹1.5 crore), Richa Ghosh (₹1.9 crore), and Sophie Devine (₹50 lakh).