WPL 2027 Auction: UP Warriorz Eye Squad Overhaul As 146 Players Go Under The Hammer In Kochi

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:  With 27 slots up for grabs and several prominent Indian and overseas cricketers in the fray, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction is set to trigger intense bidding battles as the five franchises look to complete their squads ahead of the fifth edition of the tournament, beginning in January.

The auction, scheduled to take place in Kochi on Wednesday, will feature 146 players, with teams having contrasting purse sizes and squad requirements. UP Warriorz will head into the auction with the most slots to fill, while defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Gujarat Giants (GG) will look to make targeted additions after retaining most of their core players.

Among the players expected to attract attention are Indian cricketers G Kamalini, Sneh Rana and Sushma Verma, along with Australian stars Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen and Sophie Molineux.

UP Warriorz have eight slots available and a remaining purse of Rs 3.75 crore, putting them in a position to make several additions to their squad. Mumbai Indians (MI), meanwhile, have six slots to fill but only Rs 90 lakh left to spend, which could make their auction strategy more selective.

RCB, who won the previous edition, will have Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry available for the upcoming season and will look to strengthen their bench, particularly with Indian backups, as they aim to add another title to their tally. Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants will also seek to address specific squad requirements while retaining the nucleus of their teams.

The auction comes at a time when the WPL is increasingly contributing to India's talent pipeline, with young players gaining exposure to high-pressure matches alongside international stars.

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana highlighted the league's role in identifying emerging talent and stressed the need to develop promising players into match-winners for the national team.

“The WPL has been a huge benefit in that we have found quite a few players in the WPL, but now it's our responsibility to figure out how we take them forward and make them into bigger match-winners. We definitely have exciting talent in our team right now,” Mandhana said on JioStar's programme 'Follow the Blues: The Dawn of Captain Smriti'.

She added that eight to nine players in the current Indian setup are aged between 19 and 24 and have impressed in India A matches. “They have all played good cricket during the India A series. We have followed everything, and they have played very good cricket. So now it's on us to take them forward and make them lead the way for India,” she said.

Former India cricketer and JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy expects Indian wicketkeepers to be among the players in demand, with multiple franchises looking to strengthen their options behind the stumps.

“I think Indian wicketkeepers, especially, will be in demand, with quite a few teams looking for them. There are a couple of domestic players I'm interested in seeing how they go about things in the auction. Of course, Sophie Molineux is a big name to look forward to, given the kind of experience she brings. She's a match-winner and has already won the WPL with RCB,” Krishnamurthy said.

She also pointed to the interest surrounding young wicketkeeper G Kamalini and the importance of franchises identifying alternatives for each role before the bidding begins.

“The options and the number of slots available are very limited. Teams know exactly what they're looking for, so it's important for them to filter the names from the available cricketers and identify their options. They need to have at least three or four names for each proficiency because the auction can go in any direction,” she added.

The fifth edition of the WPL will be held from January 14 to February 7, 2027. Four-time finalists Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz will aim to secure their maiden title, while two-time champions RCB and Mumbai Indians will look to add to their trophy collections.

“The options and the number of slots available are very limited. Teams know exactly what they're looking for, so it's important for them to filter the names from the available cricketers and identify their options. They need to have at least three or four names for each proficiency because the auction can go in any direction,” she added.

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Article Source: IANS