Delhi Capitals (DC) came to the WPL 2024 auction with the most settled squad. They just needed to get three players out of the available 165 and had a purse of ₹2.25 crore to get those three, one of whom could have been an overseas player.
DC started with massive fireworks - getting into a big bidding war for Australian fast bowler Annabel Sutherland with Mumbai Indians. DC eventually won her signature for 90 percent of their purse - ₹2 crore, five times her base price.
Sutherland was a part of Gujarat Giants in WPL 2023 at a ₹70 lakh contract but struggled to perform - taking three wickets at an average of 57 and scoring 28 runs in four matches. However, her performances in the Women's Big Bash League were pretty good - 23 wickets and 288 runs.
A strong batter in the middle and lower order, she swings the new ball and is mighty accurate on her day. Her ability to bowl the heavy deliveries and use her height to get the extra bounce would work well in India if she is in form.
DC needed at least one good wicketkeeper and they went for the safest choice in Aparna Mondal. The 27-year-old 'keeper-batter from Bengal was part of the franchise at a base price contract of ₹10 lakh last season and returned to the Arun Jaitley Stadium for the second season at the same price.
Mondal didn't play at all in WPL 2023 but could get some chances this season if first-choice wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia's underwhelming form with the bat continues.
DC concluded the auction by signing the right-handed batting all-rounder Ashwani Kumari for her base price of ₹10 lakh. A consistent performer in domestic competitions for Jharkhand, Kumari is a lower-order big-hitter (an area of concern for the franchise) who bowls decent medium pace as well.
Complete DC Squad for 2024
Annabel Sutherland* (new), Aparna Mondal (new), Ashwani Kumari (new), Alice Capsey*, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen*, Laura Harris*, Marizanne Kapp*, Meg Lanning*, Minnu Mani, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia and Titas Sadhu.
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