With the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) all set to get underway on 4th March, the recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup gave a perfect opportunity to all those players picked in the auction and out of the 87 players chosen by the franchises, 14 are Australians.
Here are the top five Australians from the victorious team to watch out for!
Ashleigh Gardner (Gujarat Giants):
Landing one of the biggest paydays of her playing career, Ashleigh Gardner secured a deal of Rs. 3.2 Crores and was purchased by Gujarat Giants. She was stellar in the T20 World Cup with 110 runs and 10 wickets, and overall, in her T20I career, she has over six half-centuries and a brilliant strike rate of 133.62 to go with. She has also pocketed 48 wickets at a miserly 6.23, making her one of the finest all-rounders in the game at the age of 25 already.
Jess Jonassen (Delhi Capitals):
Left arm-orthodox spinner Jess Jonassen was acquired by the Delhi Capitals for a sum of Rs. 50 Lakhs. Known to break partnerships at will and bowling at scintillating economy rates, Jess Jonassen is one of the best acquisitions. She always delivers in the clutch moments, making her a valuable asset to the team.
Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals):
Acquired by Delhi Capitals for a sum of Rs. 1.1 Crores, Meg Lanning was the subject of an intense bidding battle between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals before the latter finally got her. One of the most successful and dominating captains in world cricket, Lanning has one ODI World Cup and four T20 World Cup titles as skipper. She has also been a stellar batter for Australia, scoring 3405 runs at an average of 36.6 and has two hundreds and fifteen fifties in the format as well.
Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bangalore):
The star all-rounder was snapped by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs. 1.7 Crore. Having been one of the most talented players to have graced the game, she is one of the most prolific all-rounders, having played in over 134 T20Is raking 1515 runs and scalping 120 wickets at 5.84. She is an experienced campaigner, having played in the WBBL and The Hundred, besides the massive amount of international experience she brings with her.
Tahlia McGrath (UP Warriorz):
One of the best buys for the UP Warriorz was Tahlia McGrath for Rs. 1.4 Crores. With a reputation of being one of the most promising all rounders from the stable of Australia, she can bat anywhere in the order, and her bowling is also something that sets her apart. She is the highest ranked batter in the rankings, and her performances in India have been phenomenal.
Other prominent names: Megan Schutt (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Alyssa Healy (UP Warriorz), Annabel Sutherland (Gujarat Giants), Georgia Wareham (Gujarat Giants), Grace Harris (UP Warriorz).
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.