Australian star Beth Mooney and New Zealand allrounder Sophie Devine emerged as the biggest winners in the inaugural women’s auction for The Hundred, each securing record £210,000 contracts as franchises spent heavily on the opening morning in London.
Devine was picked up by Welsh Fire, while Mooney joined Trent Rockets after an intense bidding war with Manchester Super Giants. Their deals set a new benchmark in the competition, dwarfing the previous top women’s salary of £65,000 and highlighting the rapid growth of the tournament.
The biggest surprise of the session was England allrounder Dani Gibson, who was snapped up by Sunrisers Leeds for £190,000. Gibson had struggled in last year’s competition and has not played for England since the 2024 T20 World Cup, making her high price tag one of the most unexpected moments of the auction.
South African allrounder Nadine de Klerk also attracted major interest after impressive performances in the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup and the Women's Premier League. She was signed by London Spirit for £170,000.
Meanwhile, Indian stars Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh drew far less attention than expected. Deepti was picked up at her base price of £27,500 by Sunrisers Leeds, while Ghosh joined Manchester Super Giants for £50,000.
The auction also saw young English talent Davina Perrin become the first player sold, going to Birmingham Phoenix for £50,000.
With the women’s salary cap doubling to £880,000 per team following new private investment in the tournament, franchises spent aggressively to build competitive squads. The record-breaking deals signal a major step forward for women’s cricket, bringing pay levels closer to those seen in top leagues like the WPL and marking a new era for The Hundred. 🏏