The Gujarat Giants have suffered a setback in the Women’s Premier League 2024 as the promising talent Kashvee Gautam has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury. Kashvee had made headlines in December 2023 when she became the most expensive uncapped player in WPL history, with the Gujarat Giants acquiring her for INR 2 crore.
To fill the void left by Kashvee's absence, the Giants have brought in Mumbai's Sayali Sathgare as a replacement. Kashvee, a fast-bowling all-rounder, was also a part of the Smriti Mandhana-led Trailblazers in the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2020. She was one of the key acquisitions for the Giants in the auction, joining a list of players that included Phoebe Litchfield, Meghna Singh, Trisha Poojitha, and others.
In addition to Kashvee, the Giants will also be without the services of Lauren Cheatle, who opted out of the tournament due to a skin cancer procedure. New Zealand veteran Lea Tahuhu has been roped in as a replacement for Cheatle.
The Giants are scheduled to begin their campaign against the defending champions Mumbai Indians on February 25 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is facing a setback as Kanika Ahuja has been ruled out due to injury. The left-arm fast bowler from Maharashtra, Shradda Pokharkar, has been drafted into the Mandhana-led RCB side as a replacement for Kanika Ahuja at a reserve price of INR 10 lakhs.
Kanika Ahuja, a 21-year-old rising star, had been a standout performer for RCB in the previous season. In seven matches, she scored 98 runs at an average of 16.33, displaying her batting prowess. RCB is aiming to make amends after failing to qualify for the playoffs last season and is set to face UP Warriorz on February 24.
