WPL 2026 player auction list released

DELHI: The Women’s Premier League is set for a full-throttle shake-up as 277 players go under the hammer in New Delhi on November 27, setting the stage for one of the most aggressive squad rebuilds the league has seen. With 52 capped Indians, 66 capped overseas players, 142 uncapped Indians and 17 uncapped overseas names in the mix, the day-long auction promises a tug-of-war across all five franchises.

The bidding begins at 3:30 p.m. IST with the marquee set, featuring eight heavyweights: Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Sophie Devine, Sophie Ecclestone, Alyssa Healy, Amelia Kerr, Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt. All eyes will be on this opening burst, expected to jolt the auction into action.

A total of 19 players have listed themselves in the top bracket of Rs 50 lakh, 11 in the Rs 40 lakh tier and 88 in the Rs 30 lakh category. Four Associate-nation cricketers also join the contest at a base price of Rs 10 lakh: Theertha Satish and Esha Oza from UAE, Tara Norris from USA and Thipatcha Putthawong from Thailand.

Retentions earlier this month set the stage for contrasting strategies. UP Warriorz retained just one player, Shweta Sehrawat, and walked into the auction with the largest purse and most open slots. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals each held on to five players, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept four. Gujarat Giants, fresh from their first Playoffs appearance in WPL 2025, saved two pillars in Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney.

The league’s fourth season is expected to start earlier than its usual February-March window as India prepares to co-host the T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in early February. Mumbai Indians enter as defending champions after toppling Delhi Capitals in last season’s final.

With a star-packed roster, swollen purses and franchises hungry for turnaround stories, New Delhi is primed for a fast, fiery and fiercely fought WPL auction that could redraw the power lines of women’s cricket in a single afternoon.