In a recent event, Nat Sciver-Brunt, an all-rounder cricketer from the England women’s team, made an incredible Rs 3.2 crore at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction. Exciting yet challenging moment for her, she struggled with accepting the idea of being “sold” in the cricket market
Regardless of the trill about the auction, Nat Sciver-Brunt had to think of an upcoming T20 World Cup Match. This shows how busy and hectic the schedules cricketers have in today’s time. Just days after the WPL final, England had matches in New Zealand. Nat Sciver-Brunt had to decide whether to play for her franchise or her national team. Money was a factor, but she also hoped that in the future, players wouldn’t have to choose between clubs and countries.
England Women’s head coach, Jon Lewis, faced a similar problem. He stressed the need for better scheduling to avoid clashes like this. Some players, like Heather Knight and Lauren Bell, chose national duty. Others, like Sciver-Brunt, tried to balance both teams.
Reflecting on her decision, Sciver-Brunt recognized the complexity of individual choices. Conversations with teammates highlighted the diverse perspectives within the cricketing community.
“It is such a hard one because it’s almost like it’s a bit of an anomaly, like it’ll – well hopefully – will not happen again,” Sciver-Brunt said. “So yeah, it was a tricky decision, and I guess individuals have made their own choices, and hopefully we won’t be faced with that again.”
The growing women’s franchise scene introduced new experiences, including the intense and surreal auction process. Sciver-Brunt found the wording of being “sold at auction” baffling but acknowledged it as part of the evolving landscape.
“The wording of being sold at auction is still a bit baffling,” Sciver-Brunt said. “But to be part of it was pretty crazy, intense at times, and also just a weird day with it being during the World Cup.”
As a senior player, Sciver-Brunt embraced her leadership role, understanding the importance of sharing knowledge and supporting teammates on and off the field. Despite the pressure of her lucrative deal, she remained focused on delivering performances that would benefit her team.
“Being a senior player in the England side, I sort of had a bit of experience of that… making sure I have my own responsibility to be passing on knowledge and be open with everyone so that the whole group can improve,” she said.
“Obviously with a big price tag, that does add another layer to it, but last year I was lucky that I was in quite a good place in my cricket, so I didn’t have to think too much about the performance side of it and just naturally let it happen. I’ve had a good training block this time, so we’ll see how it goes.”