The second auction of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) took place in Mumbai on December 9. Here’s the list of five most expensive cricketers in the WPL 2024 auction.

104 Indians, mostly uncapped players, took part in the 2024 auction alongside 61 foreigners, of which 15 are from Associate nations. Uncapped Indian stars Kashvee Gautam and Vrinda Dinesh attracted huge bids, while teams also broke the bank for the reputed Australian duo of Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield.

Top five most expensive players in WPL 2024 auction

Annabel Sutherland (Delhi Capitals) – INR 2 crore

After a fierce bidding war, Australia’s Annabel Sutherland fetched a staggering 2 crore (INR) from Delhi Capitals. All eyes were on Sutherland after Gujarat Titans released her ahead of the auction, and the DC will be happy to secure the service of the promising all-rounder.

Kashvee Gautam (Gujarat Giants) – INR 2 crore

Having entered the auction with a base price of INR 10 lakh, Indian uncapped all-rounder Kashvee Gautam became the most expensive uncapped cricketer after Gujarat Titans bought her for a lucrative 2 crore rupees in a tight bidding war.

She shot to fame after a ten-wicket haul for Chandigarh against Arunachal Pradesh, including a hat-trick in a one-day game in the women’s under-19 competition. The performance earned her a call-up in the defunct Women’s T20 Challenge. After going unsold the previous year, she stamped her authority in the Women’s T20 trophy with 12 wickets from seven games at an economy rate of 4.14.

Vrinda Dinesh (UP Warriorz) – INR 1.3 crore

Up Warriorz snaffled up the young Indian batter Vrinda Dinesh for 1.3 crore rupees, making her the first uncapped player to fetch a minimum of 1 crore. Hailing from Karnataka, Vrinda shot to fame with a 29-ball 36 on a languid surface in the final of the ACC Emerging Teams Cup while appearing for the first time after being substituted for S Yashashri.

She was a lynchpin in leading Karnataka to a Senior Women’s ODI Trophy title, scoring 477 runs at an impressive average of 47.70 in 11 innings.

Kashvee Gautam and Vrinda Dinesh become the most expensive uncapped players in the WPL.

Gautam was bought by Gujarat Giants for INR 2 crore.
Dinesh was bought by UP Warriorz for INR 1.3 crore.

Both players had a base price of 10 lakhs. pic.twitter.com/aZHFWNHDxx

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) December 9, 2023

Shabnim Ismail (Mumbai Indians) – INR 1.20 crore

Mumbai Indians shelled a lofty 1.20 crore rupees to rope in South Africa’s speedster Shabnim Ismail in the latest auction. She played for UP Warriorz last year and was released ahead of the second season. Ismail had impressive figures in the 2023 WBBL, picking up 13 wickets in 14 outings with an economy rate of 6.22.

Phoebe Litchfield (Gujarat Giants) – INR 1 crore

Dashing Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield went to Gujarat Giants for 1 crore to become the fifth costliest player in this year’s auction. Litchfield took the world by storm when she hit the joint-fastest fifty off 18 balls in a T20I against West Indies this year, equalling Sophie Devine’s previous best. The southpaw amassed 279 runs at a strike rate of 132.85 for the Northern Superchargers in the latest The Hundred to finish the season as the third-highest run-getter.

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