WPL | Delighted at having sparked young girls’ dreams: Smriti Mandhana

In a happy place: Having put together a strong team, captain Smriti and RCB chairman Mishra are looking forward to a successful campaign.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When Smriti Mandhana goes out to train at her hometown of Sangli these days, she often finds several girls playing alongside boys.

“There would be four girls in a boys’ under-14 team and that makes me so happy and proud that I sit down and watch them for a while before I begin my training,” she said a few hours before the start of the Women’s Premier League, which will inspire all those girls to dream big.

“Before the 2017 World Cup, we were hoping to see more and more girls picking up bats and balls to play cricket,” she said.

Smriti is delighted that she is leading Royal Challengers Bangalore, a franchise that has such a strong tradition and a large, royal fan base. The franchise spent ₹3.4 crore to ensure her services.

She was the first player to go under the hammer. She ended up as the WPL’s costliest player. She said her price tag put no added pressure on her. “RCB’s men’s team has an amazing legacy,” Smriti said. “I am happy to lead this wonderful team.”

RCB has indeed been able to put together one of the strongest sides in the WPL, that too after spending a quarter of its purse on Smriti.

“We had been preparing for the auctions even before the date was announced,” explained Prathmesh Mishra, chairman of RCB and chief commercial officer, Diageo India.

Pre-planned move

“Our team was working behind the scenes and we had identified the top 100 players. I would say we got 95, if not 99, percent of the players we wanted. We got the captain (that we wanted). That was the most important part of that strategy,” he said.

On Sunday, we will find out how RCB translates its undoubted strength on paper to the ground, at the Brabourne Stadium, as it takes on Delhi Capitals. In the day’s other match, UP Warriorz will meet Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil stadium, Navi Mumbai.