Srinagar’s Jasia Akhter, Kashmir’s star female cricketer, has been bought by Delhi Capitals in the first Women’s Premier League player’s auction. Akhter had an outstanding year with the bat, scoring 501 runs in nine matches during the Senior Women’s One Day tournament, and 273 runs in seven matches during the Senior Women’s T20 tournament.
She has been playing for Rajasthan and is their captain. While Delhi Capitals paid INR 20 lakh for Akhter, Sarla Devi remained unsold. Smriti Mandhana was the first pick in the Women’s Premier League auction, with Royal Challengers Bangalore buying her for INR 3.40 crore.
Also Read | Rising Unemployment in Jammu Kashmir Paints a Bleak Picture for the Region’s Future
This historic auction had 409 players going under the hammer. Akhter, who hails from the Shopian area of Kashmir, has been playing for outside teams for the last five years, after the lack of professionalism in J&K’s women’s cricket arena forced her to do so. Jasia’s consistent performance has made her one of the top women cricketers in India. She led Rajasthan to qualify for the knockout stage in One Day and T20 tournaments, and has been the only outside player on their side.