The WPL 2023 auction is underway in Mumbai, and some of the biggest names in the Women’s division are going under the hammer at the moment. All five teams are trying their best to make a strong squad in order to do well in the tournament. It is said that half of the tournament is won on the auction table itself.
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Royal Challengers Bangalore are certainly one of the most popular franchises in the IPL and their team in the WPL will also get a lot of attraction. They have not won a single IPL trophy, but in WPL, RCB would want to turn their fortunes around.
It was certain that the big Indian players like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur will gain a lot of attention in the auction, and the same happened as well in the very first bidding battle.
Smriti Mandhana RCB
Indian ace batter Smriti Mandhana was the first player to go under the hammer in the WPL 2023 auction, and she was bought by fan favourite Royal Challengers Bangalore. Both RCB and Mumbai Indians tried to grab Mandhana, but it was RCB who got successful in signing her.
Join us in welcoming the first Royal Challenger, Smriti Mandhana! 😍
Welcome to RCB 🔥#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #WPL2023 #WPLAuction pic.twitter.com/7q9j1fb8xj
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) February 13, 2023
RCB bought Mandana for a price of INR 3.40 crores, it is interesting that RCB decided to use more than 1/4th of their budget on a single player. Former Indian captain Virat Kohli also plays for RCB, and both Mandhana & Kohli wear jersey number 18. It is certain that both Mandhana and Kohli are one of the most fan favourite players in their respective divisions.
Mandana boasts some incredible numbers under her belt, and she is certainly the favorite to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore in the WPL. She has scored 2651 T20 runs at 27.32, with the help of 20 half-centuries. She has played in different T20 Leagues around the world including WBBL and The Hundred.
