Assistant coach of London Spirit Women, Malolan Rangarajan believes a successful ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England could significantly boost interest in women’s cricket and bring more young girls to stadiums during The Hundred.

Rangarajan, who previously served as head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore Women during their title-winning campaign in the Women's Premier League, said he witnessed first-hand how India’s triumph in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 transformed perceptions of women’s cricket back home.

Speaking during the inaugural Hundred auction in London, Rangarajan highlighted how the World Cup victory led by Harmanpreet Kaur created a cultural shift in India.

“Harman and the team winning that World Cup has changed the landscape of women’s cricket in India,” Rangarajan said. “It gave parents the confidence to encourage their daughters to go out, play and even pursue cricket as a career.”

According to Rangarajan, the impact of such a major international victory can go far beyond the trophy itself. He believes that if England were to win the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil, it could create a similar surge of enthusiasm among young fans and families attending Hundred matches.

“I know the cultural dynamics are different here,” he said. “But if England win the World Cup and it’s followed by the Hundred, it could bring a huge change. You will see many more girls and parents coming to watch the game.”

WPL’s role in boosting women’s cricket

The rapid growth of the Women’s Premier League in India has also played a key role in increasing visibility for women’s cricket. With the league now four seasons old, players have begun receiving mainstream recognition, appearing in advertisements, magazine covers and television shows.

For many young athletes in India, cricket is now being viewed as a viable career path.

Strong squad building for London Spirit

At the Hundred auction, London Spirit secured South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk for £170,000 — the fourth-highest bid of the event. De Klerk had previously worked with Rangarajan during the successful WPL campaign with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In the 2026 WPL season, De Klerk impressed with 16 wickets at an average of 15.68 and also contributed valuable runs with the bat. She also produced a match-winning 84* against India during the recent 50-over World Cup.

At London Spirit, she will join a strong group of all-rounders including Marizanne Kapp, Grace Harris and Charlie Dean.

Rangarajan said the squad composition provides flexibility with both bat and ball.

“Because we retained players like Grace, Marizanne and Charlie Dean, we had options going into the auction,” he explained. “Nadine gives us middle-overs and death-overs bowling, and she adds depth to the batting.”

Key additions and bargains

London Spirit also signed West Indies power-hitter Deandra Dottin for £37,000, adding further pace-bowling options alongside Mahika Gaur.

Meanwhile, several Indian stars were picked up at surprisingly low prices in the auction. All-rounder Deepti Sharma joined Sunrisers Leeds Women for her base price of £27,500, while wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh moved to Manchester Super Giants Women for £50,000.

Rangarajan said such outcomes are common in franchise auctions due to team strategies and timing.

“The auction depends a lot on when a player appears and what gaps teams are trying to fill,” he said. “It’s just the dynamics of the auction.”

Despite the lower price tags, Rangarajan believes players like Deepti and Richa will continue to thrive in leagues around the world — especially with the growing global momentum behind women’s cricket.