WPL 2023: Best India starting XI after auction

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction delivered some incredible moments to Indian cricket fans as they saw some of their finest players receiving huge bucks. Now, these players will have to show up in the inaugural season of the tournament which will be played for 23 days in March 2023. The WPL auction brought cheers to the face of a renowned Indian batter as she became the most expensive player at the event.

Three Indian players feature the list of the top five costliest players in the auction, after getting picked at a hefty amount. Along with them, the auction went well for some other India stalwarts too as they received decent money due to their potential and recent performances. However, after grabbing headlines, these players will have to justify their prices in the upcoming tournament. 

Here is India's best playing XI from the 2023 WPL auction  

1. Smriti Mandhana

At the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction, Smriti Mandhana became the most expensive player. The Indian vice-captain went to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at INR 3.4 crore, and was later named the team's skipper. In the upcoming tournament, she will be expected to deliver fine starts to the team as an efficient opener. 

In the past, Mandhana has delivered some incredible knocks to India Women in situations when the team required her support. Her record in T20 Internationals (T20Is) is phenomenal. The 26-year-old has accumulated 2713 runs with 21 half-centuries in 114 T20Is at a strike rate of 123.26.

With these impressive batting numbers, she has established herself as an attacking opener in the shortest form of the sport. In the upcoming cash-rich league, eyes will be set on her as she will have to justify her sold amount with her batting performances.