Kochi, Oct 28 (IANS) Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Jonathan Batty said the franchise’s 2027Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction could hardly have gone better, adding that signing big-hitting India batter Kiran Navgire would add much-needed power to their batting line-up.
DC bought Kiran for Rs 75 lakh, making her the second-highest-priced player at the auction held on Wednesday, after edging competition from Mumbai Indians. They also picked up Scotland left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon and uncapped all-rounders – Delhi’s Nazma Khan and Karnataka’s 15-year-old Uma Kashvi – for Rs 10 lakh each.
“Really pleased. Does an auction ever go completely to plan? Probably not quite, but as close to what we were hoping for. We had a couple of different pivots we could have made. We identified early we wanted a hard-hitting or dynamic Indian batter, and we got that in Kiran Navgire early. Getting the Scottish left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon over the line as well.
“She gives us lots of options as well, being allowed to start in the playing eleven as a local (associate) player, which we’ve used successfully in the past. So we’ve got a couple of really young, exciting players as well coming in with Nazma and Uma. So no, really, really, really pleased. Not sure it could have gone any better, to be honest,” Batty told reporters in a press conference.
Kirstie, who played for England before switching to Scotland, will be counted as an Associate player, which allows the four-time finalists to field her without using one of their four overseas slots. Batty said Kiran’s ability to bash spin and her power-hitting would fill a gap in DC’s batting, though the side curiously chose not to have a back-up wicketkeeper-batter.
“She’s one of the most dynamic batters in the auction. She’s a wonderful player of spin through the middle order. We felt one area we were potentially lacking at times has been a little bit of power in our batting, and we feel that she can give that to us.
“Again, she’s probably the most dynamic batter in the auction, one of the biggest hitters in the game. She had a great year a couple of years ago at the WPL. She just gives us some extra firepower, possibly playing a few different roles for us as well within our batting lineup. So really strengthens our already strong batting lineup, but just gives a bit extra power.”
Delhi have reached the final in each of the four WPL editions so far but are yet to win the title. The 2027 WPL season will be played from January 14 to February 7, though the venues are yet to be known.
–IANS
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