WPL 2024: 5 Steal deals in the mini auction

Georgia Wareham. (Photo Source: Twitter)

In the 2024 WPL auction, 30 players were sold for INR 12.75 crore. At the business event, some renowned names such as Chamari Athapaththu, Tammy Beaumont, and Daendra Dottin went unsold while two uncapped Indian players Vrinda Dinesh and Kashvee Gautam stunned viewers by getting sold at massive prices. 

It was also witnessed in the auction that franchises pulled off incredible deals. Some in-form overseas players went to the buyers at cheap prices. Talking more, let’s get to know five players who emerged as steal deals for the franchises and can also be seen rocking the upcoming tournament with their performances.   

Here are five steal deals of the 2024 WPL auction:

5. Phoebe Litchfield

Phoebe Litchfield Batting. (Photo Source: Matt King – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

The left-handed Australia batter went to Gujarat Giants (GG) for just INR 10 lakh. In the upcoming tournament, she might be given the responsibility of reinforcing Gujarat’s top order with her captain Beth Mooney. The 20-year-old has proven her batting skills in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

In her four-year WBBL career, she has scored 1212 runs in 63 innings of 67 matches at a strike rate of 111.91. The young Aussie batter looked stunning with her bat in the 2023-24 WBBL. Playing 15 games, she scored 309 runs at an impressive strike rate of 130.37.

Earlier, she looked decent with her bat for Northern Superchargers in the 2023 Hundred Women’s Competition. The youngster added 279 runs to her profile in 10 matches at a strike rate of 132.85. In the upcoming WPL season, she will strive to showcase her batting mettle for Gujarat and become a notable name in the tournament.

4. Danni Wyatt

Danni Wyatt. (Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)

England’s experienced top-order batter Danni Wyatt went to UP Warriorz (UPW) for INR 30 lakh. Wyatt’s inclusion will add strength to UPW’s batting line-up as they already have power hitters such as Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath in the squad. 

The English stalwart looked marvellous with her bat in the 2023 Hundred Women’s Competition. Serving Southern Brave, she piled up 295 runs in nine games at a strike rate of 141.14. Discussing her overall Women’s T20 International (WT20I) numbers, the England veteran has scored 2602 runs in 130 innings at a strike rate of 127.23.

The 32-year-old has played a lot of WT20I cricket in India in her vast 13-year career. Playing 18 matches in the sub-continent nation, she has notched up 459 runs at a strike rate of 142.10. Back in 2018, she slammed a remarkable ton against India at the Brabourne Stadium and guided her team to a scintillating seven-wicket win. These numbers and facts will bring cheers to the faces of GG fans who are expecting her to wreak havoc on bowlers in the 2024 WPL.

3. Kate Cross

Kate Cross (Photo Source: Twitter)

England pacer Kate Cross was fetched for INR 30 lakh by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The 31-year-old’s disciplined bowling performance in the 2023 Hundred Women’s Competition helped her get the contract from Challengers. In her country’s league competition, she represented Northern Superchargers and scalped 10 wickets in 10 games at a frugal economy of 7.45.

In 2023, Bangalore’s bowling attack lacked quality pace bowling but this time, Cross might bolster the attack with her excellence. Along with experienced Ellyse Perry and Renuka Singh, the English bowler has the potential to pose a threat against opponents.

2. Lauren Cheatle

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 02: Lauren Cheatle of the Thunder bowls during the WBBL match between Heat and Thunder at Blacktown International Sportspark on January 2, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Lauren Cheatle will strengthen Gujarat Giants’ bowling attack in the upcoming tournament. The franchise signed up the Aussie player at a reasonable amount of INR 30 lakh. The talented youngster has been active in WBBL since 2015 and in these eight years, she has got 81 wickets in 78 matches at an economy of 6.56.

Cheatle’s WBBL experience will help her perform well for Gujarat in the upcoming WPL edition. In the recent WBBL edition, she racked up 21 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 6.89 and ended up as the leading wicket-taker for Sydney Sixers. GG will expect her to be lethal against the opponents in the competition. 

1. Georgia Wareham

Georgia Wareham. (Photo Source: Twitter)

RCB added Australia’s spin-bowling stalwart Georgia Wareham to their squad in the auction. The Victoria-born bowler was sold for INR 40 lakh at the event. In the maiden WPL edition, she played two matches for GG and took one wicket at an economy of 10.73. Her ineffective performance denied her a spot in Gujarat’s retention list.

In the upcoming competition, she will endeavour to add value to the team with her exceptional spin-bowling talent. The 24-year-old exuded confidence with both bat and ball in the 2023-24 WBBL. As an all-rounder, she notched up 295 runs for Melbourne Renegades, with a fifty in 12 innings at a strike rate of 134.09.

With the ball, she grabbed 14 wickets in the competition, at a thrifty economy of 7.38. Challengers will keep their expectations high from the Aussie player for 2024. RCB already have off-spinners Heather Knight and Kanika Ahuja in the squad. The addition of the leg-break bowler Georgia will add a variation to the spin-bowling unit.