Lauren Bell, England Women’s star, signs for WPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Fans in India are excited to see her in action this season.
England Women’s fast bowler Lauren Bell has become the latest sensation in Indian cricket circles after signing with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) season.
The 24-year-old seam bowler, who stands at an imposing six-foot-two, was snapped up for £76,000 at Thursday’s WPL auction, sparking excitement among fans both in India and abroad.
While other England stars such as Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Gujarat Giants), and Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) also secured high-profile deals, it is Bell who has captured the attention of Indian fans with her performances and striking presence.
Social media has been flooded with enthusiastic messages welcoming the English cricketer to the league.
“The most beautiful woman cricketer Lauren Bell will now play for the most beautiful franchise,” one fan commented on Instagram. Another added, “Welcome to RCB, cutie!” while a third said, “We are very excited to see you playing for RCB team!” Clearly, Bell has made an immediate impression off the field, as well as on it.
Bell recently returned from India, where she represented England in the Women’s Cricket World Cup. The Three Lions reached the semi-finals but were defeated by South Africa by a hefty 125 runs.
Despite the loss, Bell has emerged as a key figure in England’s bowling attack, having made her international debut in June 2022 after impressing in domestic competitions.
Interestingly, cricket was not Bell’s first sporting love. In a recent interview with ESPN, she revealed that as a child she spent most of her time playing football.
“If you asked 7-8-year-old Lauren, I’d probably be in a full football kit running around with shin pads on,” Bell said. “My grandad always bought us Manchester United kits, and I was always in the garden playing football.”
Bell even joined Reading’s academy at one point, but ultimately chose cricket after her parents urged her to pick one sport to pursue seriously. “My parents were like, you need to choose,” she explained. “That was when I decided to follow cricket. I haven’t played football since, but I’ve never looked back.”
Since her international debut, Bell has quickly risen through the ranks. She went from being a reserve player at the 2022 Women’s World Cup to one of England’s most important bowlers.
Currently ranked No. 24 in the ICC World Rankings for bowlers, Bell recently described her rapid rise as “crazy,” reflecting on the responsibility of opening the bowling and sometimes leading the attack.
“Looking back to being a reserve, it was beyond my expectations,” she told the BBC. “To see how far I’ve come and how quickly everything has moved, and the responsibility I’ve got to opening the bowling… I have loved it all.”
Bell now heads to India to play in the WPL, joining an increasingly international roster of talent. The league itself continues to grow in prestige and popularity, particularly after India won this year’s Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The hosts staged a remarkable comeback, bouncing back from three consecutive group stage defeats to defeat South Africa by 52 runs in front of 45,000 fans in Mumbai.
For Lauren Bell, the move to Royal Challengers Bengaluru represents both an opportunity to showcase her skills on a global stage and to connect with a new fan base, many of whom are already hailing her as the “world’s most beautiful cricketer.”
With her combination of skill, athleticism, and growing popularity, Bell looks set to become one of the WPL’s most talked-about stars this season.