The Women’s Premier League has propelled women’s sport to a new height after franchises launched record bids for female cricketers.

Reigning Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) player of the year, Ashleigh Gardner, has been sold for a historic AUD$558,000 at the first women’s premier league (WPL) auction, clubs spent over AUD$10 million on a total of 87 players at the auction, establishing the WPL as a lucrative multi-million dollar competition.

In a big step for the women’s game, Gardner makes history as the first Australian woman marketed at the auction, sold to the Gujurat Giants as the second most expensive player behind Indian star, Smriti Mandhana, who was bought for AUD $593,000.

Fellow Australian stars, Ellyse Perry (AUD $297,000), Beth Mooney (AUD $350,000), and Australian captain Meg Lanning (AUD $192,000) were among the list of 14 Australian players acquired at the auction.

Indian cricket captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, who was signed to the Mumbai Indians for AUD $314,000, said that the auction results were a “game-changer” for women’s cricket on an international scale.

“This will entirely change women’s cricket, not just in India. We all are looking forward to that,” she said.

The inaugural WPL season begins next month between March 4-26.

This news comes after Kayo announced its FTA broadcast of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.