![India Women's team [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1777727109044_IraJadhav.jpg?type=hq)
India Women's team [Source: AFP]
Ira Jadhav set the cash registers ringing at the auction of the inaugural T20 Mumbai Women’s League. Aged 16, the teenager fetched a staggering amount as she was roped in by the Aakash Tigers franchise.
The league, a brain child of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), itself marks the start of a new phase for women’s cricketers in Mumbai.
A look into the rise of teenage sensation Ira Jadhav
Ira Jadhav, aged 16, was born in February 2010 in Pune. A Mumbai Women’s cricketer in BCCI’s junior tournaments, Jadhav first rose to prominence last year for becoming the first Indian cricketer to score a triple century in U19 cricket.
Aged nearly 15 at the time, the teenage batting sensation clubbed 346 runs off just 157 balls for Mumbai against the Meghalaya team in the Women’s Under-19 One-Day Trophy. The youngster bludgeoned 42 boundaries and 16 huge sixes in her innings as Mumbai mounted a staggering 563-3 in their 50 overs.
The Mumbai cricket team ended up winning the match by 544 runs after bundling out Meghalaya for just 19 in the second innings of the game.
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On Saturday, May 2, Ira Jadhav became the costliest purchase at the auction of the inaugural T20 Mumbai Women’s League. She was acquired by the Aakash Tigers for a sum of Rs. 10 lakhs.
Expressing her excitement in joining the league at such a young age, Ira praised the MCA and expressed her gratitude to the Tigers franchise for acquiring her. She said “I am really grateful to MCA and Aakash Tigers for having so much faith in me and trust in me. I am really happy, and I hope I make the best of this opportunity. I am looking forward to giving my best in this tournament.”
MCA President Ajinkya Naik also praised and congratulated the youngster for becoming one of the standout picks at the bidding event. He said “Seeing a young talent like Ira Jadhav emerge as one of the standout picks today reflects the depth of promise in our grassroots structure and the opportunities this league is set to create.”
Before raking in the big bucks at the 2026 T20 Mumbai Women’s League auction, the youngster was also picked as one of the standby players for the victorious India Women’s team at the 2025 ICC U19 World Cup in Malaysia.
Ira Jadhav wins ‘Best Woman cricketer’
A couple of months ago at the Naman Awards, Ira Jadhav won the ‘Best Woman Cricketer’ award for the 2024-25 Indian domestic season under the Junior Domestic category.
At the same awards, India’s World Cup winner Shafali Verma also bagged the ‘Best Woman Cricketer’ for the 2024-25 season under Senior Domestic Cricket category.
Aakash Tigers assemble strong squad
Apart from Ira Jadhav, the Aakash Tigers franchise also roped in India’s U19 World Cup winning vice-captain Sanika Chalke to assemble a strong squad at the 2026 T20 Mumbai Women’s League auction. Chalke was roped in by the franchise for a sum of Rs. 5.50 lakhs. Here is a look at the entire Aakash Tigers squad for the 2026 T20 Mumbai Women’s League.
Aakash Tigers squad:
Humaira Kazi, Ira Jadhav, Sanika Chalke, Fatima Jaffer, Jeeya Mandrawadkar, Siddhi Pawar, Manali Dakshini, Siddhi Kamthe, Jagravi Pawar, Ritika Yadav, Kimaya Rane, Batul Pereira, Mitali Mhatre, Mulla Alina Farid, Samruddhi Rawool and Gargee Warang.
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