West Indies star all-rounder Deandra Dottin became the first player to be sold and the second most expensive in the mini-auction for the 2025 Women's Premier League (WPL), as she was purchased by the Gujarat Giants for a staggering INR 1.7 crore (approximately US$200,000) in Bengaluru on Sunday.
The 33-year-old cricketer brings a wealth of experience to the shortest format of the game, having played 132 WT20Is with a tally of 2,817 runs, including two centuries and 12 half-centuries.
Soogrim returned figures of 3 for 5 from 4.5 overs while Schultz had figures of 3 for 36 in the match won by Anisa Mohammed’s XI over Stafanie Taylor’s XI.
“We had a low-scoring game, but I was particularly pleased to see the effort by all the ladies on both teams. Even more impressed with the likes of young Soogrim and Schultz, the way how they bowled and the effort they put in. Also, the opening attack of Connell and Aaliyah Alleyne kept the batters on guard," Walsh said.
"It was a challenging wicket when we saw Deandra bat and then later on when Stafanie and Hayley batted, chasing the low score. We saw some good signs, a lot of positives to work from but still work to be done. I think all in all it was a good outing for just the first game and definitely, we will be working on improvements for the remaining matches.”
Batting first, Mohammed’s XI were bowled out for 112 in 30.5 overs thanks largely to Soogrim and Shamilia Connell who took 2 for 14 from the four overs she bowled. Deandra Dottin did her best to counter to incisive bowling scoring an unbeaten 51 while facing 80 balls.
Chasing 113, Taylor’s XI lost Hayley Matthews for 19 and Taylor for 26 as the side were bowled out for 104.
The 23-year-old Schultz was the standout left-arm orthodox bowler exhibited good control already demonstrating the benefits of the camp.
