Head Coach Jonathan Batty:<\/b> Delhi Capitals strengthened their squad for the upcoming Women\u2019s Premier League (WPL) 2027 season, securing four players, including Indian player Kiran Navgire, in the player auction in Kochi on Wednesday, with head coach Jonathan Batty claiming they have strengthened an already strong side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With a strong core of 13 retained players, the franchise added explosive Indian batter Navgire, promising 15-year-old all-rounder Uma Kashvi, Indian all-rounder Nazma Khan and Scotland spinner Kirstie Gordon to complete their 17-member squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Delhi Capitals spent \u20b91.05 crore at the auction, taking their total squad expenditure to \u20b914.95 crore, including \u20b913.9 crore spent on retentions. Navgire was the franchise\u2019s marquee acquisition at \u20b975 lakh, while Kashvi, Khan and Gordon were secured for \u20b910 lakh each.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Speaking after the auction, the team\u2019s Head Coach Jonathan Batty expressed satisfaction with the franchise\u2019s acquisitions, highlighting the additional firepower in the batting department, the depth of the squad and the potential of its newest young recruit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cKiran was a high-value target for us. She\u2019s probably the most dynamic and powerful batter in the auction. With Shafali at the top of the order and power further down the lineup with players like Chinelle Henry, Kiran gives us another dimension to consider in our batting order. It has the potential to make our batting lineup absolutely staggering,\u201d Batty said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
One of Delhi Capitals\u2019 most exciting acquisitions was Uma Kashvi, the 15-year-old Karnataka all-rounder who became the youngest player to be sold in WPL auction history. A right-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, Kashvi has represented India Under-19 in a series against Sri Lanka Under-19, gaining valuable exposure to the international junior circuit at an early stage of her career.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Batty credited the franchise\u2019s scouting network for tracking Kashvi\u2019s progress and emphasised that her signing was a long-term investment in her development. \u201cShe\u2019s been on our radar for a little while. Our scouts have watched her play extensively and shared some incredible feedback, and I\u2019ve seen her play as well. We believe she could become an absolute superstar in the future. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At 15, she is very much a work in progress, and we\u2019re not expecting her to be the finished article just yet. This is a long-term project for Delhi Capitals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful opportunity for her to be part of this setup, learn from our top coaches and work alongside international stars. Hopefully, she\u2019ll learn a huge amount from the players around her. This is the first step on a journey that we hope will lead to Indian recognition in the future, and we\u2019re excited to see her progress,\u201d Batty added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Delhi Capitals retained a formidable core ahead of the auction, featuring captain Jemimah Rodrigues, explosive opener Shafali Verma, experienced all-rounders Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland, and South African batter Laura Wolvaardt. The retained group also includes Chinelle Henry, N. Shree Charani and several promising Indian players, giving the coaching staff a strong foundation to build on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on the overall squad composition, Batty said the new additions had further strengthened both the starting eleven and the team\u2019s bench strength.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cGoing into the auction, we already had a really strong group of 13 players. Our starting lineup was very strong even before the auction, and I think we have strengthened it further. We now have the potential to improve both our starting eleven and our squad depth. It is going to give me some selection headaches as a coach, which is a really good thing. That\u2019s exactly what we want \u2014 difficult decisions because we have the strongest squad possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Concluding his assessment of the auction, Batty said, \u201cWe are really happy with how things went. There were lots of different dynamics at play, but I think it went as well as we could have hoped.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Delhi Capitals full squad for WPL 2027<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Retained players: <\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Jemimah Rodrigues \u2013 \u20b92.20 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Shafali Verma \u2013 \u20b92.20 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Marizanne Kapp \u2013 \u20b92.20 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Annabel Sutherland \u2013 \u20b92.20 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chinelle Henry \u2013 \u20b91.30 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
N. Shree Charani \u2013 \u20b91.30 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Laura Wolvaardt \u2013 \u20b91.10 crore<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Niki Prasad \u2013 \u20b950 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Minnu Mani \u2013 \u20b940 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nandani Sharma \u2013 \u20b920 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Deeya Yadav \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mamatha Madiwala \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Lucy Hamilton \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Players acquired at the WPL 2027 auction:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kiran Navgire \u2013 \u20b975 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Uma Kashvi \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nazma Khan \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Uma Kashvi \u2013 \u20b910 lakh<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Special Cricket Stories<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n