The WPL auction live event kicked off in New Delhi on November 27 with 277 players competing for 73 available spots across five franchises. This mega auction promises high drama as teams reshape their squads for the Women’s Premier League 2026 season. Moreover, 23 overseas slots remain open, attracting marquee international names from across the cricketing world.
Headline names entering today’s auction include Deepti Sharma, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Sophie Ecclestone, Laura Wolvaardt, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, and Renuka Singh Thakur. Consequently, franchises are expected to engage in aggressive bidding wars to secure these star players. Additionally, several emerging Indian talents like Kranti Goud and N Sree Charani have attracted significant attention.
For the first time in WPL history, franchises can use Right to Match (RTM) cards during the auction. This mechanism allows teams to reclaim released players by matching the winning bid. However, the number of RTM cards available depends on how many players each franchise retained.
UP Warriorz hold the strongest position with a massive Rs 14.50 crore purse and four RTM cards. They retained only one player, Shweta Sehrawat, giving them maximum flexibility to rebuild their entire squad. Meanwhile, they have 17 total slots to fill, including six overseas positions.
Gujarat Giants come second with Rs 9.00 crore remaining and three RTM cards. They retained only Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney, leaving 16 slots open. Therefore, they possess significant financial power to target multiple marquee players.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending WPL champions, retained four star performers: Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil. Furthermore, they have Rs 6.15 crore available with one RTM card and 14 slots remaining. Consequently, RCB sits in a favorable position to strengthen its championship-winning squad.
Mumbai Indians retained five essential players, including Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Hayley Matthews. Similarly, they have Rs 5.75 crore remaining with 13 slots to fill. However, they possess no RTM cards after opting for maximum retentions.
Delhi Capitals also retained five players: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, and Niki Prasad. Additionally, they have Rs 5.70 crore available but no RTM options. Therefore, their auction strategy must be precise to fill 13 remaining slots effectively.
Each franchise can assemble a maximum squad of 18 players for the upcoming season. Moreover, teams that opted for fewer retentions now benefit from greater financial flexibility and more RTM opportunities. Consequently, this creates strategic advantages during bidding battles.
Notably, Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen withdrew from the auction due to injury. She previously featured for Delhi Capitals across three WPL seasons, winning five Player-of-the-Match awards. Nevertheless, her absence opens opportunities for other spinners to attract franchise attention.
The auction features players fresh from major tournaments like the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Therefore, international stars enter with recent competitive experience and form. Teams will target marquee players early before focusing on building balanced squads across all departments.
The WPL auction live coverage continues as franchises execute their strategies to secure key players who can elevate their championship prospects for the 2026 season.
