WPL 2024 Auction: "Wonder where UP Warriorz will slot Vrinda in," says Anjum Chopra
Dec 09, 2023
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 9 : Former Indian skipper Anjum Chopra said on Saturday that though it is nice that Vrinda Dinesh was bought by UP Warriorz, but expressed curiosity about where she will be slotted in the team.
Karnataka batter Vrinda Dinesh was a surprise big pick in the Women's Premier League (WPL) season two auction as she was picked up by UP Warriorz on Saturday for Rs 1.3 crore.
Speaking on JioCinema's Match Centre Live during the TATA WPL Auctions, Anjum said about Vrinda, "I am wondering where they will slot Vrinda Dinesh in. Yes, it is nice to get a youngster in but they already have Shweta Sehrawat and Parshavi Chopra. When you get someone like Vrinda Dinesh, you want some freshness in the squad and you can get her to open the innings with Alyssa Healy but that also puts pressure on Kiran Navgire. So, I am concerned about Shweta Sehrawat and Vrinda Dinesh - both U-23 players now. It is a good buy but Rs 1.3 crore is big money."
Vrinda has been a prolific scorer for Karnataka over the last two domestic seasons, earning praise for her ability to balance consistency with her powerful power-hitting up front. She was instrumental in Karnataka's run to the final of the Senior Women's one-day competition earlier this year. With 477 runs in 11 innings at 47.70, she finished third in the league behind Jasia Akter and Priya Punia. This includes 81 versus Rajasthan in the semi-finals, as per ESPNCricinfo.
Talking about Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland being bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore, former Indian batter Abhinav Mukund said, "DC were pretty much done with the auction after spending Rs two crore on Sutherland. The plans of both Mumbai Indians and Capitals were pretty clear. They were focusing on strengthening their teams. Overall, it is a great pick for Delhi Capitals. They are trusting their younger Indian spinners because I immediately feel that Jess Jonassen could make way for Annabel Sutherland."
Across both white-ball formats for Australia, Sutherland has played 45 matches and scored 439 runs at an average of over 27, with one century and one fifty. She also has taken 32 wickets in both ODIs and T20Is combined.
The auction for the WPL season 2024 is being held in Mumbai, Maharashtra. This time an additional purse of Rs 1.5 crore is being made available to all the five teams besides the balance they are all left with from the last auction as well as after the recent player releases.
Thirty slots, including nine overseas, will be filled at the auction. Teams released their retention lists and overall 60 players were retained. Out of these 60 players, 21 were overseas stars. 29 players were released from their squads.
