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The Women's Premier League (WPL) auction is just weeks away. Teams will be busy making strategies and plans for constructing a formidable squad. Having hard-hitting batswomen in their squads will be among the priorities for strategists of all teams.
The Women's Premier League's inaugural season will begin in March. Speculation about who will emerge as the most expensive player from the auction is unavoidable.
It won't be surprising if the costliest players turn out to be those who are more capable of clearing the ropes easily than others.
So, who are the biggest hitters of the cricket ball in the women's circuit presently? Here's a list of five such batters. Teams would be keeping a close eye on when their name comes up in the auction. Their earnings may not follow the order given here, but they will all see sizeable earnings.
#1 Grace Harris
If you ask any team in the Women's Premier League about her, they would all express a desire to acquire the services of Grace Harris. Such has been her impact on T20s. She is perhaps the most brutal ball-hitting machine in women's cricket.
Harris doesn't discriminate and gives the same treatment to pacers and spinners, often turning the tide of the match with her batting prowess.
Her SR of 172.83 in 17 T20 innings exemplifies her potential with the bat. The Women's Premier League will be played in India, where she thrives with ease, having an unimaginable average of 132 in T20s and a mind-boggling SR of 203.07.
She can also chip in with some handy off-breaks, which has yielded her seven wickets in 11 innings. The Australian cricketer is a versatile prospect, and if teams shell out a huge chunk of money on her, don't be surprised.
#2 Richa Ghosh
If a player from has made a name for her brutal power-hitting in women's cricket, it has to be Richa Ghosh. The 19-year-old wicketkeeper from Bengal showed what she is capable of with the bat against the mighty Australians in the recently concluded India-Australia series. In that contest, she bulldozed the bowlers with her power.
Her scores of 36 (20), 26 (13), and the most impactful 40 (19) have shown the world that if she is nurtured and guided well, she could be the most fearsome batter in women's cricket.
Ghosh has represented India in 30 games and has amassed 427 runs at an impressive SR of 136.27. Most importantly, it's her boundary-hitting prowess that makes her stand out from others.
With age on her side and ever-improving keeping abilities also, along with her batting pyrotechnics, the Women's Premier League teams will surely go bonkers for her.
#3 Chloe Tryon
Chloe Tryon, the South African all-rounder, has been a mainstay for her side and is considered one of the most fearsome batters in the T20 format.
With a T20I career SR of 139.13, the highest for anyone who has played at least 50 innings, Tryon can bring power to the middle order of a Women's Premier League side.
Her impressive spin-playing capabilities will surely attract the teams, as she not only likes to play against India, but also in India.
Against the Women in Blue, her SR rocketed to a mammoth 181.08, while on subcontinental wickets, she scored at an outstanding SR of 165.35.
Adding to her power game, she can also bowl some useful left-arm spin, which can come in handy for match-ups. This makes her an irreplaceable asset, and teams will certainly offer her a healthy paycheck in the auction.
#4 Shafali Verma
Since her debut in 2019, the hard-hitting Indian opener, Shafali Verma, has been the talk of the town for her fearless batting. The 19-year-old U-19 Women's World Cup-winning captain can tonk the ball really hard, and she showed her capabilities in the 2020 T20 World Cup. In that tournament, she was the highest run scorer for India with a brisk SR of 158.75.
Her partnership with Smriti Mandhana is considered one of the best opening duos in women's cricket. It will be interesting to see if the Women's Premier League teams can bring both onto the same team or not.
She has had her share of issues with deliveries aimed at her body, especially bouncers, but a well-set Shafali on the pitch means only one thing: destruction.
She can clear the infield with astute ease and play spin without any fuss. She can also contribute with her off-breaks, taking wickets here and there.
The youngster is a complete T20 package that any team would want. Shafali can be one of the most sought-after players in the Women's Premier League auction.
#5 Alyssa Healey
Alyssa Healy is considered to be in the league of players such as Adam Gilchrist, who can demolish their opponents with no mercy. She pounces on the ball in much the same way Ricky Ponting would — not in the style of the shots but in her intent.
It’s one thing to fuel big aerial hits with power, but Healey seems to pack traditional ground shots with more power than most; she really does crunch her drives.
Her 129.92 career SR doesn't reflect her brute power hitting. Ask India, who have been on the receiving end of her monstrous hitting, especially in the 2020 T20 World Cup final at the MCG. On that occasion, she single-handedly won Australia the coveted title. In that tournament, she registered a stupendous SR of 158.84.
Women's Premier League teams will certainly like to bolster their lineup with a dangerous batter in Alyssa Healy.
