Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Australia captain Sophie Molineux was the most expensive buy at the 2027 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction, going to UP Warriorz (UPW) for Rs 1.10 crore in Kochi on Wednesday. In all, 25 players were sold in a quick mini auction that needed less than an hour of active bidding.
UPW were the busiest franchise of the evening with eight signings, while defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) did all their business in the accelerated rounds after losing out on Sophie early in the day.
Sophie, who was part of RCB’s title-winning squad in 2024 and missed WPL 2026, entered the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh. RCB, her former side, pushed UPW all the way to Rs 1.05 crore before dropping out, having started the day with only Rs 1.15 crore in their purse.
The left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, who captained Australia to 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup triumph in England, recently returned to international cricket after recovering from a hip injury.
Delhi Capitals made the second-biggest buy by signing big-hitting India batter Kiran Navgire for Rs 75 lakh after a bidding contest with Mumbai Indians, who pulled out at Rs 70 lakh. Gujarat Giants landed young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini for her base price of Rs 40 lakh, with no other franchise bidding for the 2025 Under-19 World Cup winner who recently won the Asia Cup and Asian Games gold medal with the senior team.
Apart from Sophie, UPW brought back Australian all-rounder Grace Harris, who began her WPL career with them in 2023 and won the 2026 title with RCB. They also signed India’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Sneh Rana, joining her fourth franchise in five seasons, and veteran wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma, all for Rs 30 lakh each.
UPW also added Scotland all-rounder Kathryn Bryce and uncapped all-rounders Manali Dakshini and Sahana Pawar for Rs 10 lakh each. They brought back leg-spinner Asha Sobhana for Rs 30 lakh, at a fraction of the Rs 1.1 crore they had paid for her in the 2026 auction.
UPW’s shopping has, however, left them with a selection puzzle. With Meg Lanning set to lead the side and Phoebe Litchfield an automatic pick at the top of the order, Sophie, Grace and England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone could end up competing for the remaining two overseas spots. UPW may well field an all-Australian overseas quartet on a regular basis.
RCB, who had not bid for anyone until the accelerated round, opened their account with Australia’s left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Jess Jonassen for her base price of Rs 40 lakh. They then added India batter Tejal Hasabnis, who had gone unsold in the opening round, and South Africa all-rounder Chloe Tryon for Rs 30 lakh each, and Bengaluru-based batter Vrinda Dinesh for Rs 10 lakh.
The defending champions were under little pressure to buy, and the signings of Jess and Chloe add depth to their overseas options. Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Nadine de Klerk and Lauren Bell, all central to RCB’s title run in 2026, look set to fill the four overseas slots, making it hard to see both newcomers getting regular game time.
Mumbai Indians (MI) went towards buying youngsters by picking up six uncapped players. Vidarbha teammates Disha Kasat and Latika Inamdar, who had played key roles in a Senior Women’s T20 Trophy chase against Punjab only a day earlier, were signed for Rs 10 lakh each.
Other MI signings include Delhi’s left-arm spinner Bharti Rawal, 2025 Under-19 World Cup winner Saanika Chalke and 19-year-old all-rounder Akshita Bhagat, a winner of the WPL Speed Queen U-23 competition and recently played for India.
Delhi batter and 2023 U-19 World Cup winner Shweta Sehrawat, who was UPW’s lone retention in 2026, went to MI for Rs 20 lakh, double her base price, after a brief tussle with Delhi Capitals. Disha, Latika and Shweta give the franchise plenty of batting cover. With Kamalini no longer in their ranks, Disha or Latika could get an early chance to play.
Gujarat Giants (GG), who needed only three players, also signed Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast for Rs 30 lakh, making her the first Irish cricketer picked in the WPL. They used their final slot on 16-year-old Delhi all-rounder Samaira Raghav, a late addition to the auction pool, for Rs 10 lakh.
Spending Rs 40 lakh on Kamalini, who was tipped to get a big payday, might look odd for a side that already has two wicketkeepers in Yastika Bhatia and Beth Mooney. GG, however, made it clear they see her as a valuable addition purely for her batting. Orla’s signing also made history, as she became the first Irish cricketer to be picked in the WPL.
Delhi Capitals (DC), the four-time runners-up, added 15-year-old Karnataka all-rounder Uma Kashvi, Scotland left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon, a former England international who will now count as an Associate player, and uncapped Delhi all-rounder Nazma Khan, each for Rs 10 lakh.
DC’s most surprising decision, though, was not buying a wicketkeeper. Having released Taniya Bhatia and Lizelle Lee, the franchise is now relying entirely on 23-year-old Mamatha Madiwala behind the stumps, with no back-up keeper in the squad.
Hyderabad-based Mamatha played a handful of matches for DC in 2025 before an injury ruled her out of the 2026 season. The franchise will, however, be allowed to sign replacements if Deeya Yadav and Uma Kashvi are picked for the 2027 Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Several established names went unsold. These included Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, England batter Sophia Dunkley and India wicketkeepers Taniya Bhatia, Uma Chetry and Nuzhat Parween. India spinners Saika Ishaque and Priya Mishra, pacer Titas Sadhu and all-rounder Devika Vaidya also went unsold, as did Australia’s Tayla Vlaeminck, South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba and UAE captain Esha Oza. The 2027 WPL season will be played from January 14 to February 7, with venues yet to be known.
Players picked by franchises in the WPL 2027 player auction:
Delhi Capitals: Kiran Navgire, Nazma Khan, Kirstie Gordon, and Uma Kashvi
Gujarat Giants: G Kamalini, Orla Prendergast, and Samaira Raghav
Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat, Bharti Rawal, Latika Inamdar, Akshita Bhagat, Shweta Sehrawat, and Saanika Chalke
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Jess Jonassen, Tejal Hasabnis, Chloe Tryon, and Vrinda Dinesh
Mumbai Indians: Disha Kasat, Bharti Rawal, Latika Inamdar, Akshita Bhagat, Shweta Sehrawat, and Saanika Chalke
