Bengaluru, July 29 (IANS) In a landmark moment for women’s cricket in Karnataka, the auction for the inaugural Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 was held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday.

The five franchises – Bengaluru Blasters, Hubli Tigers, Mangaluru Dragons, Mysore Warriors, and Shivamogga Lioness – went head‑to‑head in an intense bidding war to assemble strong squads for the first-ever edition of the tournament, scheduled to begin on August 4 at the Alur Grounds. The final will be played on August 10 at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With a purse of ₹10 lakh each, each franchise successfully built a formidable 16‑member squad. Bengaluru Blasters’ Niki Prasad emerged as the most expensive player of the day, fetching ₹3.70 lakh, followed by Shubha Satheesh, secured by Mysore Warriors for ₹3.10 lakh, and Mithila Vinod, signed by Shivamogga Lioness for ₹3.00 lakh.

Bengaluru Blasters shaped their squad around the marquee signing of Niki Prasad for ₹3.70 lakh. They further added depth with Aditi Rajesh (₹1.50 lakh) and Kandikuppa Kashvi (₹1.55 lakh), while bolstering their squad with Chandasi Krishnamurthy (₹70,000) and Pushpa Kiresur (₹40,000).

Hubli Tigers placed their faith in BG Tejashwini, investing ₹1.50 lakh, and added an experienced Bhavika Reddy (₹1.10 lakh) to the mix soon after. They also roped in stalwarts Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shreya Chavan, and Krishika Reddy for ₹1.00 lakh each.

Mangaluru Dragons made a strong start to the Auction by acquiring Liyanka Shetty for ₹2.25 lakh, alongside impactful signings like Prathyoosha Kumar (₹1.80 lakh) and Inchara CU (₹1.55 lakh). Karnika Karthick (₹1.25 lakh) and Saloni P (₹85,000) added balance to their squad.

Mysore Warriors stood out with the acquisition of Shubha Satheesh for ₹3.10 lakh, one of the day’s biggest buys. They further strengthened their lineup with Prakruthi NG (₹1.20 lakh) and Pooja Kumari M (₹1.05 lakh), and, while adding promising talent in Sahana S Pawar (₹1.00 lakh) and Rachitha Hatwar (₹85,000).

Shivamogga Lioness battled fiercely for the marquee pick of Mithila Vinod for ₹3.00 lakh. They further reinforced their ranks with Lavanya Chalana (₹1.45 lakh), Roshini Kiran (₹1.30 lakh), and Soumya Verma (₹1.05 lakh), while Srinithi P Rai rounded off their top signings at ₹80,000.

With high‑profile signings and competitive balance across the squads, the stage is now set for the Maharani Trophy KSCA T20 to deliver an exciting debut season, showcasing the best of women’s cricket talent in Karnataka.

–IANS

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