Vadodara: BCCI President Mithun Manhas presents the winners’ trophy to Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Smriti Mandhana during the presentation ceremony after the Women’s Premier League 2026 final match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women and Delhi Capitals Women at the BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara district of Gujarat, on Thursday, February 5, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
New Delhi, October 29 (IANS) BCCI President Mithun Manhas said on Thursday that the signing of two teenagers, Uma Kashvi and Samaira Raghav in the 2027 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction reflected a ‘catch them young’ approach.
Delhi Capitals signed uncapped all-rounder Kashvi, who plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket, for Rs 10 lakh at the auction in Kochi on Wednesday, making her the youngest player to be picked for playing in the competition.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Giants picked up 16-year-old all-rounder Samaira Raghav, who features for Delhi in the domestic cricket circuit, for the same amount. The 2027 WPL season will be played from January 14 to February 7.
“Well, it’s heartening to see. The WPL has come a long way since its inception in 2023, and the icing on the cake was the 15-year-old Uma (Kashvi) getting picked. I think it’s a record-breaking thing for WPL and fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“Then there’s another girl who’s just 16 (Samaira Raghav) who got picked as well. So I think the mantra for this auction was to catch them young,” Manhas said in a video posted on the WPL’s social media handles.
Around 150 players were in the auction pool, and Manhas said the players vying for the limited number of slots showed how competitive women’s cricket had become in the country since the WPL started.
“You see, there is a high level of competition as well now. We had a pool of about 150-odd players, and we just had 27 slots. So that shows how competitive it has become, and I guess from here on, it’s a matter of time. I hope the players continue to grow, learn and evolve from such competitions and that will help Indian cricket grow in the long run.”
He added that the league’s competitiveness would benefit both the fan base and the players. “It’s good to see the competition that the game is bringing. When you see such competitive games, that will help the fan base as well to grow. I think it is good for the players as well because they will learn how to handle those special situations. Ultimately, it is beneficial for Indian cricket.”
