New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Senior wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma is poised for a big payday at the WPL 2027 auction, with UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians likely to lock horns for her services, said former India player Reema Malhotra on Friday.
With several franchises short of a home-grown wicketkeeper, the Indian wicketkeeper-batters are expected to be among the most coveted picks when the five teams finalise their squads at the auction in Kochi starting at 5:30pm on October 28.
Sushma also turned out for Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in this year’s Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) when Yastika Bhatia left for India A commitments. “Sushma Verma is going to hit the jackpot this time because Mumbai Indians, and UP Warriorz are looking at her in the trials. She has recently played in the CPL as well, and she brings experience.
“She performed well the whole season in domestic cricket as well. So, somewhere, I feel there is going to be a good fight between UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians, but think she might go to UP Warriorz because Mumbai Indians have a budget issue,” said Reema on JioStar.
She also flagged young G Kamalini as one to watch, given that she offers the rare combination of left-handed batting, wicketkeeping and international exposure. Kamalini, though, may not be available for the entirety of WPL 2027 if she’s picked in India’s squad for the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, happening in Nepal and Bangladesh.
“G. Kamalini is a young player, and now she also has international experience. She has not done much at the international level, but we all know about the talent she possesses. She would obviously be a much-improved player with the experience and quite a few teams need an Indian wicketkeeper-batter.
“You never know; Mumbai Indians might pick her up, DC also need an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, and UP Warriorz need one too. She is a left-hander who can bat in the top order as well as the middle order and if so many teams are looking for an Indian keeper, Kamalini could be a name to watch out for,” she added.
Former India batter Veda Krishnamurthy felt Royal Challengers Bengaluru might be tempted to bring back Australia captain Sophie Molineux, though her fitness record could weigh on their decision.
“RCB might be tempted to go back to Sophie Molineux, but they have Radha Yadav in the squad and she has delivered as well. RCB did let go of Linsey Smith as well. So, I would say RCB could look at Sophie Molineux, but again, it will depend on her fitness, as she has been injury-prone for some time now.”
–IANS
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