WPL Auction 2023: Dinesh Karthik shows appreciation for Mallika Sagar; calls her 'terrific auctioneer'

The inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) auction was held on 13th February, Monday in Mumbai at the Jio Convention Center and the auctioneer, Mallika Sagar received high praise for her role in the same. It is of special significance because she is the first-ever female auctioneer to oversee a big cricketing event like the WPL Auction 2023.

The five participating teams spent a total of INR 59.5 crores at the WPL 2023 auction and a total of 87 women cricketers were either retained by a team or bought by another team. The auctioneer was Mallika Sagar, who received praise from several within the cricketing world, for the brilliantly held auction.

Mallika Sagar is a Mumbai-based art collector and consultant for modern and contemporary Indian art, as well as a partner in the Art India Consultants organization. She has previously presided over the 2021 Pro Kabaddi League auctions.


Veteran Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik was one of the big cricketing names who took to Twitter to shower her with praise and termed Mallika as a 'terrific auctioneer'. He also hailed the BCCI for already making the right choices in the WPL.

“MALLIKA SAGAR is a terrific auctioneer. Confident , clear and very poised. Straight away the right choices in the WPL. Well done @BCCI,” the Royal Challengers Bangalore wicketkeeper wrote.


“A historic moment for women’s cricket”

As per a video shared on Twitter by Jio Cinema, on being asked about her feelings, Mallika said, “Very very proud. I am delighted that the cricketers who will be the part of the premier league and I think it is a huge moment, a historic moment for women’s cricket. Finally, Indian women’s cricketers will get their due on the international stage. They will have the ability to play at the highest level and we have seen what the men’s IPL has done when it started. I am hoping we will have the same effect for women’s cricketers as well”.