Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 auction sets stage for women’s league in Karnataka

BENGALURU: In a landmark moment for women’s cricket in Karnataka, the inaugural Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 Auction was held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

The five franchises — Bengaluru Blasters, Hubli Tigers, Mangaluru Dragons, Mysore Warriors and Shivamogga Lioness — went head-to-head in an intense bidding war to assemble strong squads for the first-ever edition of the tournament, scheduled to begin on August 4 at the Alur Grounds. The final will be played on August 10 at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a release said.

With a purse of Rs 10 lakh each, each franchise successfully built a formidable 16-member squad. Bengaluru Blasters’ Niki Prasad emerged as the most expensive player of the day, fetching Rs 3.70 lakh, followed by Shubha Satheesh, secured by Mysore Warriors for Rs 3.10 lakh, and Mithila Vinod, signed by Shivamogga Lioness for Rs 3 lakh.

Bengaluru Blasters shaped their squad around the marquee signing of Niki Prasad for Rs 3.70 lakh. They further added depth with Aditi Rajesh (Rs 1.50 lakh) and Kandikuppa Kashvi (Rs 1.55 lakh), while bolstering their squad with Chandasi Krishnamurthy (Rs 70,000) and Pushpa Kiresur (Rs 40,000).

Hubli Tigers placed their faith in B G Tejashwini, investing Rs 1.50 lakh, and added an experienced Bhavika Reddy (Rs 1.10 lakh) to the mix soon after. They also roped in stalwarts Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shreya Chavan and Krishika Reddy for Rs 1 lakh each.

Mangaluru Dragons made a strong start to the Auction by acquiring Liyanka Shetty for Rs 2.25 lakh, alongside impactful signings like Prathyoosha Kumar (Rs 1.80 lakh) and Inchara C U (Rs 1.55 lakh). Karnika Karthick (Rs 1.25 lakh) and Saloni P (Rs 85,000) added balance to their squad.

Mysore Warriors stood out with the acquisition of Shubha Satheesh for Rs 3.10 lakh, one of the day’s biggest buys. They further strengthened their lineup with Prakruthi N G (Rs 1.20 lakh) and Pooja Kumari M (Rs 1.05 lakh), and added promising talent in Sahana S Pawar (Rs 1 lakh) and Rachitha Hatwar (Rs 85,000).

Shivamogga Lioness battled fiercely for the marquee pick of Mithila Vinod for Rs 3 lakh. They further reinforced their ranks with Lavanya Chalana (Rs 1.45 lakh), Roshini Kiran (Rs 1.30 lakh) and Soumya Verma (Rs 1.05 lakh), while Srinithi P Rai rounded off their top signings at Rs 80,000.

With high-profile signings and competitive balance across the squads, the stage is now set for the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 to deliver an exciting debut season, showcasing the best of women’s cricket talent in Karnataka. (ANI)