Smriti moneydhana!

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, 26, missed out on Sunday's key T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan through injury. But she didn't miss out on big bucks during the Women's Premier League (WPL) player auction in Mumbai on Monday.

Mandhana, whose base price was Rs 50 lakh, emerged the costliest player in WPL when she was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 3.40 crore.

Mumbai Indians (MI) got India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for Rs 1.80 crore.

RCB appeared to have planned their purchase well and did everything to get the stylish opening batter, the first buy of the day. The Bangalore franchise spent more than a quarter of their total purse of R12 crore for Mandhana.

RCB, Delhi Capitals, MI and UP Warriorz showed interest in Kaur, but MI had the final say, spending Rs 1.80 crore.

RCB's Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson revealed why they went for top players in the first round itself. "Everybody knows Smriti, Ellyse Perry [RCB spent R1.70 crore for her]. We were pretty committed to a couple of people we wanted to get. We are happy to get quality players like Smriti, Sophie Devine [New Zealand all-rounder for R50 lakh] and Perry in the first group; a dream for us, really," Hesson said during the press conference at the Jio World Convention Centre at BKC.

Hesson hinted that Mandhana will lead RCB. "Smriti has got plenty of captaincy experience. She is one of the players who knows the conditions well. For leadership, you need senior players around you. In the first set, we have got some highly experienced senior players," said Hesson.

Mumbai's Jemimah Rodrigues, who starred in Sunday's win over Pakistan at Cape Town, went to Delhi Capitals for Rs 2.20 crore after evoking interest on the MI table. India's U-19 T20 World Cup-winning captain Shafali Verma (Rs 2 crore) and Australia skipper Meg Lanning (Rs 1.10 crore) are also in the Delhi Capitals camp, while Gujarat Giants successfully bid Rs 3.20 crore for Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner.

Where captaincy is concerned, Delhi Capitals' owner Parth Jindal remarked: "It's too early for that [decision on captain]. Of course, there are captaincy options. One is an U-19 World Cup-winning captain, Lanning is a legend of the game. Jemimah too is a wonderful reader of the game, but it all depends on the coach in the end and who else we pick in the end."

Reaction time

‘I have always seen Mumbai Indians do well in the IPL and now I too have a chance to be part of the Mumbai Indians team. Hope we will make a good team. It's a gamechanger for all of us because we are going to experience this kind of pressure for the first time. I am very excited and at the same time this will entirely change women's cricket not only in India, but world cricket too'
Harmanpreet Kaur, MI

'We waited for this opportunity and since I am from UP [Uttar Pradesh], it is a great feeling. I want to contribute as much as possible for UP Warriorz'
Deepti Sharma, UP Warriorz

‘It's been over last 10 years we've been watching auctions of men's [players]. It is such a big moment for women's cricket too to have an auction of this sort. The whole thing is exciting'
Smriti Mandhana, RCB

Also Read: Smriti Mandhana doubtful starter for India's T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan

Top 5 buys

Rs 3.4cr
Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Rs 3.2cr
Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians)

Rs 3.2cr
Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants)

Rs 2.6cr
Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz)

Rs 2.2cr
Jemimah Rodrigues (Delhi Capitals)