‘Welcome Queen’: Twitter erupts as Smriti Mandhana becomes the costliest buy at WPL Auction 2023

[Brexiter]

Team India vice-captain Smriti Mandhanaa went into the record books after becoming the costliest buy at the inaugural auction for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023. In fact, she was the first player to be auctioned off at the bidding event which is taking place at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) acquired her services for a whopping amount of ₹3.40 crore.

Mandhana, who was placed in the Marquee Set 1 with a base price of ₹50 lakh, induced an intense bidding war between Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB. A swift set of bids for the left-handed batter soon breached ₹1 crore, ₹2 crore and ₹3 crore mark, before Nita Ambani’s MI pulled out of the race.

The 26-year-old Mandhana made his international debut in 2013 and was named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2018. She was also nominated in the top three for the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of The Year in 2021 and 2022.

The left-handed batter has scored 2651 runs in 112 T20Is so far which includes 20 centuries.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:​

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 ropes in Smriti Mandhana.#WPLAuction #WomenCricket #WPL2023 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/tWzgs5rtYp

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 13, 2023

Welcome Smriti Mandhana into RCB Family ? pic.twitter.com/cYdRW2k4Ac

— Kevin (@imkevin149) February 13, 2023

Indian Opener Smriti Mandhana sold to RCB for 3.4 Crore INR.

Welcome to #RCB @mandhana_smriti #WPLAuction #WPL #SmritiMandhana pic.twitter.com/xIAH2S2SQm

— Abhi. (@Abhicricket18) February 13, 2023

Welcome Queen @mandhana_smriti #RCB #WPLAuction pic.twitter.com/0AU9wSTGQt

— Kumar Sourav (@AdamDhoni1) February 13, 2023

Video of the day – celebration by Smriti & Indian team. pic.twitter.com/djAS0lVb6n

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 13, 2023

Smriti Mandhana becomes the first player to be sold in the #WPLAuction. ?

She goes to Bangalore for 3.40 CR. pic.twitter.com/KvB6GnlVQV

— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) February 13, 2023

Marvelous Mandhanna goes for big ? in #WPLAuction ?

The sensational ?? batter @mandhana_smriti joins @RCBTweets #WomensPremierLeague #WomensCricket #JioCinema #Sports18 #AuctionFever #CricketAuction #CricketFans #WPL pic.twitter.com/9Rm1nwKoox

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) February 13, 2023

Women’s IPL auction throwing up head-spinning figures, #RCB have @mandhana_smriti for a whopping Rs3.4 crore!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 13, 2023

The first season of the WPL will be played at the DY Patil Stadium (Mumbai) and Brabourne Stadium (Navi Mumbai) from March 3 to 26.

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