Kochi, Oct 28 (IANS) Gujarat Giants head coach Michael Klinger said the signings of G Kamalini and Orla Prendergast at the 2027 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction had given the franchise greater flexibility, especially in how it uses its overseas players in the upcoming season.
GG bought wicketkeeper-batter Kamalini for her base price of Rs 40 lakh and seam-bowling all-rounder Orla for Rs 30 lakh. “We picked Kamalini mainly as a batter. We felt she was the best batter on the auction list, and we wanted to add more strength to our batting and give ourselves more options, including with our overseas players.
“We probably got her for less than we expected, as we thought there would be more bidding. So, we are really happy with the signing,” said Klinger on JioStar’s ‘Match Centre Live Auction Special’ show.
Orla has also become the first Irish cricketer to be picked in the WPL. Klinger, who has worked with her in The Hundred at the Welsh Fire, said the all-rounder would bring a different dimension to the side.
“She will give us a different approach. The combination of Kamalini’s batting and Orla’s all-round skills gives us more options with our overseas players. We also have some bowling options in the squad, so we will see if we stick to a similar combination as last year.
“Orla had a really good World Cup in India last year, so she knows these conditions. I was fortunate enough to work with her in The Hundred last year, so we know each other well. She will be a great addition to the squad and give us more versatility.”
With Rs 50 lakh left in their purse at that time, Klinger said the Giants had not been sure they would have enough for a final pick and planned to wait for the accelerated round.
“We were not sure if we would be able to make a final pick, as we thought we might spend more on the first two signings. We now have some time to think about it. The majority of our squad is settled, and we have a few ideas. We will probably wait for the accelerated round.”
GG eventually filled their last slot in the accelerated round by signing 16-year-old Delhi-based all-rounder Samaira Raghav for Rs 10 lakh. The WPL 2027 season will run from January 14 to February 7, with the venues yet to be known.
–IANS
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