India, Nov 28 : The inaugural 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction delivered big surprises and record-breaking deals on Thursday, with World Cup winning Indian players dominating the proceedings.
Deepti Sharma, the Player of the Tournament in the recent Women’s ODI World Cup, became the joint second-most expensive player in WPL history after UP Warriorz reclaimed her via the Right to Match (RTM) option for ₹3.2 crore. Delhi Capitals, who initially bid ₹50 lakh for Deepti, missed out in a competitive tussle.
India wicketkeeper-batter N Sree Charani, the second highest wicket taker in the World Cup, was acquired by DC for ₹1.3 crore, while Sneh Rana joined the franchise for ₹50 lakh. South African captain Laura Wolvaardt also joined DC for ₹1.1 crore, adding international firepower.
UP Warriorz made waves by signing veteran seamer Shikha Pandey for ₹2.4 crore and young Australia batter Phoebe Litchfield for ₹1.2 crore, alongside reclaiming Deepti Sharma and other key players using RTM options. Other notable acquisitions included Meg Lanning (UPW, ₹1.9 crore), Sophie Devine (GG, ₹2 crore), and Amelia Kerr (MI, ₹3 crore).
Franchises strategically strengthened squads across domestic and overseas talent. RCB added Arundhati Reddy (₹75 lakh), Radha Yadav (₹65 lakh), Pooja Vastrakar (₹85 lakh), and Grace Harris (₹75 lakh), while Gujarat Giants focused on spin depth and international experience with signings like Renuka Singh (₹60 lakh) and Georgia Wareham (₹1 crore).
The auction also saw young talents and uncapped players like Deeya Yadav, Pratyusha Kumar, Tara Norris, Chloe Tryon, and G Trisha being snapped up at base or modest bids, reflecting the WPL’s balance between experience and emerging talent.
Franchise wise highlights:
Delhi Capitals: Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Shree Charani, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Deeya Yadav, Minnu Mani.
Gujarat Giants: Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Yastika Bhatia, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
Mumbai Indians: Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Poonam Khemnar, Shabnim Ismail.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell.
UP Warriorz: Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Deandra Dottin.
The 2026 WPL mega auction concluded with all 67 players sold for a total of ₹40.8 crore, marking another major milestone in the growth of women’s cricket in India.