'This is Australian Heritage' - Netizens react as Ashleigh Gardner steals INR 3.2 crore deal with Gujarat Giants

Ashleigh Gardner is currently the joint second-most expensive player after Smriti Mandhana

By Damini Basu

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Ashleigh Gardner
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Ashleigh Gardner. (Photo Source: MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian cricketer Ashleigh Gardner has been sold to the Gujarat Giants for a mammoth INR 3.20 crore in the inaugural Women's Premier League 2023 Auction. Ash Gardner's bid had opened with a base price of INR 50 lakh, with a tight bidding war unleashing between Mumbai Indians, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants. Eventually, the Giants won the war.

A total of 409 players will be going under the hammer at the auction in Mumbai, of which 246 are Indians and 163 are overseas players. The total number of capped players are 202 and 199 are uncapped players. A maximum of 90 slots are available with the five teams, with 30 being slotted for overseas players.

The inaugural edition of the WPL will be played in Mumbai from 4 March to 26 March. A total of 22 matches will be played, with the Brabourne Stadium and D.Y. Patil Stadium playing hosts to the marquee tournament comprising Gujarat Giants, UP Warriorz, Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore as the five teams.

A two-time T20 World Cup winner with Australia, Gardner’s batting and crafty off-spin make her a vital member across all formats. The 25-year-old was the 2021-22 Belinda Clark Award winner as Australia’s best female international player. Gardner is currently the No.1 T20I all-rounder and was the player of the tournament at WBBL 08. She made her T20I debut in February 2017 against New Zealand, and her ODI debut followed against the same opposition soon after.

In 2019, she was handed her Baggy Green by fellow First Nations player Dan Christian, becoming the third Indigenous player, and second woman, to play a Test for Australia. Gardner was quick to impress right from the start of her playing days, topping the runs tally at Cricket Australia’s Under-18 Championships in January 2015 and leading New South Wales to the title, also rightfully claiming the Player of the Championship award.

She won Player of the Tournament at Imparja Cup 2015, and represented Australia's development squad at the Shooting Stars before her achievements with bat and ball in hand for the Sydney Sixers saw the national selectors calling her up.

Here's how Twitter reacted:

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