Australia captain Sophie Molineux clinched the biggest deal of the day at the Women's Premier League auction on Wednesday after a winning bid of $115,600 by UP Warriorz.
Molineux, a left-handed bowling all-rounder who led Australia to this year's T20 World Cup title in July, had former team Royal Challengers Bengaluru interested before Warriorz got her at more than double her base price of $52,500 in Kochi.
Warriorz, led by Australian veteran Meg Lanning, came into the mini auction with the biggest budget as the five franchises finalised their teams for the fifth edition of the women's T20 tournament. Another Australian all-rounder, Grace Harris, returned to Warriorz with a deal of $31,500.
And all-rounders ruled the day as Orla Prendergast became the first player from Ireland to land a WPL deal, heading to Gujarat Giants for $31,500. India batter Kiran Navgire was the second-costliest buy after Delhi Capitals got her for $78,800.
The most expensive player ever sold at the WPL auction is India's Smriti Mandhana, who was bought by Bengaluru for 34mn rupees ($380,000) in 2023. Next year's WPL begins on January 14 with the final scheduled for February 7.
The WPL, staged first in 2023, delivered the Indian cricket board roughly $700mn in franchise and media rights alone. The deals made the WPL the world's second-most valuable women's sports league after WNBA basketball in the United States.
Reigning champions Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians have won two titles each in the four editions.