Female thala in Mumbai’ – Fans react as Mumbai franchise steal the deal for India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur in Women’s T20 League auction

Published on February 13, 2023

Women in Blue skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur will join the Mumbai franchise in the inaugural season of the Women’s T20 League. Rs 1.8 crore was paid in a bidding war to acquire the Indian captain. To secure the premium purchase, Mumbai outbid the Delhi franchise, the UP franchise, and the Bangalore franchise.

In the first-ever Women’s T20 League auction, she was the second player auctioned after her teammate Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana created history when she became the first player ever to be sold at auction to the Bangalore franchise for an astonishing Rs. 3.4 crore. Despite offering up to Rs 3.2 million, Mumbai was unable to sign Mandhana.

After Harmanpreet was sold to Mumbai, so now both the men’s and women’s skippers of the Indian team will play for them. Rohit, the captain of the Indian men’s squad, has been a member of the Mumbai franchise since 2011. Rohit is the most successful captain in Indian T20 League history as he has taken his team to five titles.

We are really looking forward to it: Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet started leading India in 2017 and was named as Mithali Raj’s replacement in ODIs last year. She captained the Indian team that won a historic silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and led India to the final of the 2020 Women’s 20-20 World Cup. For Team India, she has played in three tests, 124 ODIs, and 147 T20Is. She has scored 2956 runs in T20Is, averaging 28.15, with one century and nine half-centuries.

On the other hand, the Bangalore franchise has bought Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Devine. The Gujarat franchise has brought Ashleigh Gardner on board while the UP franchise bought Sophie Ecclestone.

“I think it’s a game changer for all of us because you know, we are going to experience this pressure for the first time and I’m very excited and at the same time, you know, this will entirely change women’s cricket, not only in India, or even in the world cricket. I think it’s a great initiative and we all are looking forward to that,” said Harmanpreet to Jio Cinema.

“Oh, well, we all are coming to Mumbai, and I hope we’ll get lots of support from Mumbai Indians and, you know, Indian fans are always been very great and we are really looking forward to it. We look forward to contributing to the Mumbai Indians the same way as the men have been doing,” she added.

Here’s how fans reacted to Harpreet Kaur’s arrival in Mumbai in Women’s T20 League: