It was a three-way tussle for India all-rounder Deepti Sharma at the inaugural WPL Auction, before eventually the UP Warriorz bagged the services of the all-rounder for a handsome price of INR 2.6 crore.
The historic first-ever WPL Auction got underway on Monday in Mumbai. The likes of Smriti Mandhana(to RCB), and Harmanpreet Kaur (to MI) hogged the headlines before Deepti Sharma, selling her world-class all-rounder capabilities and future potential, was taken by UP Warriorz for a big amount of INR 2.6 crore.
Deepti Sharma is also likely to be named the captain of UP Warriorz
Delhi Capitals started bidding for Deepti at her base price of INR 50 lakh before Mumbai Indians joined, and Gujarat Giants entered with 60 lakh bids. The fierce bidding quickly went past 1 crore marker. DC and MI fought off to take it over 2 crore, and suddenly UP Warriorz entered at INR 2.2 crore. Mumbai upped it to 2.4 crore, and Warriorz raise it to INR 2.6 crore and finally got Deepti.
Deepti Sharma is hailed as one of the best, smartest, and utility all-rounders in the world. The 25-year-old already has experience of 80 ODIs and 88 T20Is, and has played at the two biggest stages the Indian team has reached in the past few years-2017 ODI World Cup final and 2020 T20 World Cup final.
Deepti has close to scored 3000 runs in international cricket and taken over 90 wickets each in ODIs and T20Is at terrific economy rates.
WPL squads so far:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Mandhana, Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Renuka Singh
Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr
Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophia Dunkley
UP Warriorz: Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma, Tahlia McGrath, Shabnim Ismail
Delhi Capitals: Meg Lanning, Jemimah Rodrigues