2026 WPL Auction: Deepti, Charani Headline World Cup Performers Landing Big Paydays

2026 WPL Auction: Deepti, Charani headline World Cup performers landing big paydays (Ld) (Image Source: IANS)

The first ever Women’s Premier League (WPL) mega auction lived up to the expectations of several World Cup-winning Indian players commanding hefty bids in a cool evening at the National capital on Thursday.

India’s premier off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma became the joint second-most expensive player in WPL’s history after being reclaimed by UP Warriorz for INR 3.2 crore via the Right to Match (RTM) option.

Deepti, the Player of the Tournament in the recent Women’s ODI World Cup, could have been taken by Delhi Capitals for INR 50 lakh, before UPW took her eventually to make her the costliest player in Thursday’s proceedings.

DC also invested heavily in N Sree Charani, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the World Cup, for INR 1.3 crore, and added Sneh Rana for INR 50 lakh. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt was another marquee signing, joining DC for INR 1.1 crore.

UP Warriorz, meanwhile, brought back pacer Kranti Gaud at her base price of INR 50 lakh and secured Harleen Deol as well as Pratika Rawal for the same amount. They also made one of the day’s biggest splashes by signing veteran seamer Shikha Pandey for INR 2.4 crore, alongside young Australia batter Phoebe Litchfield for INR 1.2 crore.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru strengthened their domestic core with Radha Yadav for INR 65 lakh and Arundhati Reddy for INR 75 lakh. Gujarat Giants picked up Renuka Singh for INR 60 lakh and New Zealand’s Sophie Devine for INR 2 crore, making her the fourth player to cross the two-crore mark. GG also added India spinner Tanuja Kanwar and Australia leg spinner Georgia Wareham to bolster their bowling depth.

Mumbai Indians regained New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for INR 3 crore, ensuring continuity in their overseas contingent. They also got their previous players Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, S Sajana and Saika Ishaque back, apart from adding a few newbies.

Australia skipper Alyssa Healy went unsold, even as Sophie Devine, back after missing 2025, was snapped up by GG for INR 2 crore following a tussle with RCB and DC. UPW secured former DC captain Meg Lanning for INR 1.9 crore, potentially lining her up as their new leader. South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt went to DC for INR 1.1 crore, ruling out a Mandhana-Wolvaardt opening pair at RCB.

UPW used multiple RTM cards, reclaiming Kiran Navgire, and pacer Kranti Gaud, while also adding Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.2 crore) and Shikha Pandey (INR 2.4 crore). RCB bolstered their spin and allrounder options with Radha Yadav (INR 65 lakh), Arundhati Reddy (INR 75 lakh), Nadine de Klerk (INR 65 lakh) and England pacer Lauren Bell (INR 90 lakh).

GG added Renuka Singh (INR 60 lakh), Georgia Wareham (INR 1 crore) and India quick Titas Sadhu (INR 30 lakh), while DC picked up Charani, Sneh, West Indies hitter Chinelle Henry (INR 1.3 crore) and former South Africa keeper Lizelle Lee (INR 30 lakh).

While several uncapped names went unsold, Delhi Capitals invested in 16-year-old Deeya Yadav for INR 10 lakh. The auction also veteran India leg-spinner Asha Sobhana joining UPW for INR 1.1 crore, underlining the demand for spin depth across franchises.

UPW also picked Deandra Dottin for INR 80 lakh and reclaimed Pratika Rawal for INR 50 lakh despite fitness concerns. RCB strengthened their domestic core with Arundhati Reddy (INR 75 lakh), Pooja Vastrakar (INR 85 lakh) and Grace Harris (INR 75 lakh), while also adding Dayalan Hemalatha and uncapped keeper Prathyoosha Kumar.

GG exercised their RTM to bring back Kashvee Gautam for INR 65 lakh and added Georgia Wareham for INR 1 crore, alongside Anushka Sharma, Tanuja Kanwar, Yastika Bhatia and England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

MI added Nicola Carey and uncapped pacer Milly Illingworth, while DC picked up Mamatha Madiwala, Lucy Hamilton and India allrounder Minnu Mani, while UPW rounded off their roster with Tara Norris, Chloe Tryon, Simran Shaikh and U19 World Cup winner G Trisha. The final accelerated round ended with Gujarat Giants signing Delhi batter Ayushi Soni for INR 30 lakh, bringing the curtain down on the WPL 2026 mega auction.

WPL 2026 full squads

Delhi Capitals: Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, Shree Charani, Chinelle Henry, Laura Wolvaardt, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia, Lizelle Lee, Deeya Yadav, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandani Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Renuka Singh, Yastika Bhatia, Anushka Sharma, Tanuja Kanwar, Kanika Ahuja, Titas Sadhu, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Shivani Singh, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

Mumbai Indians: Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, Sajeevan Sajana, Shabnim Ismail, Gunalan Kullkarni, Nicola Carey, Sanskriti Gupta, Rahil Firdous, Poonam Khemnar, Triveni Vasistha, Nalla Reddy, Saika Ishaque, Milly Illingworth

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Bharti Fulmali, Kashvee Gautam, Renuka Singh, Yastika Bhatia, Anushka Sharma, Tanuja Kanwar, Kanika Ahuja, Titas Sadhu, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Shivani Singh, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni

UP Warriorz: Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Asha Sobhana, Sophie Ecclestone, Deandra Dottin, Kiran Navgire, Kranti Gaud, Shweta Sehrawat, Harleen Deol, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, Simran Shaikh, G Trisha, Pratika Rawal

Article Source: IANS