Ahead of the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction, set to take place on Monday in Mumbai, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has enlisted a female auctioneer to preside over the proceedings. This marks a historic moment for the BCCI, as it is the first time a female auctioneer has been appointed to conduct a major cricket auction in India. The WPL auction is sure to be an exciting event, as the best female cricket players from around the country will be vying for the highest bids.
A Cricbuzz report has revealed that Mallika Sagar, a Mumbai-based art collector and consultant for Modern and Contemporary Indian art, as well as a partner in the Art India Consultants firm, will be overseeing the upcoming auction. Notably, Mallika, who is an experienced auctioneer at the Pundoles in Mumbai, recently conducted the auctions of the 2021 Pro Kabaddi League.
Doubling the #vivoProKabaddiPlayerAuction excitement is our auctioneer Mallika Sagar!
Let’s welcome our first Indian auctioneer and get ready for a auction this season. pic.twitter.com/Qhw1YkC1rP
— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) August 26, 2021
The report further stated that the BCCI has mandated that each team must have a minimum of 15 players in their squad, with a minimum squad expenditure of Rs 9 crore. Each team will be allocated a purse of Rs 12 crore, with a maximum of six foreign players allowed to be purchased.
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“The franchisees are reminded of the WPL squad rules with respect to a minimum (15) and maximum (18) squad size, minimum squad spend (INR 9 crore) and the maximum number of overseas players in the squad (6),” the BCCI communication to the five teams was quoted as saying in the report.
At the WPL Player Auction, a total of 409 players will be up for grabs, with 246 of them being Indian cricketers and 163 being overseas players, including eight from associate nations.
“It’s a big moment for women’s cricket” – @mandhana_smriti ahead of the #WPLAuction #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/sSrhWXsimP
— Women’s CricZone (@WomensCricZone) February 12, 2023
The players will be divided into seven categories based on their specializations: marquee players, batters, all-rounders, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers, spin bowlers, and emerging players. Additionally, the players will be divided into five different slabs of base prices for the auction, ranging from INR 10 lakh to INR 50 lakh.
India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, all-rounder Deepti Sharma, U19 Women’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Shafali Verma, Australia’s premier all-rounder Ellyse Perry, England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine, and former West Indies player Deandra Dottin are among the most sought-after players in the upcoming auction, with the highest base price.
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