WPL 2026 mega auction, Deepti Sharma becomes costliest buy

The WPL 2026 mega auction delivered a dramatic day in the capital, with intense bidding wars, high-profile retentions, and a clear message, India’s women’s cricket has never been richer in talent or value.

The spotlight shone brightest on Deepti Sharma, who became the costliest buy of the auction at ₹3.2 crore. Delhi Capitals initially secured her for ₹50 lakh, but UP Warriorz pulled out the Right to Match (RTM) card, triggering a fierce back-and-forth before sealing the historic deal.

Other World Cup heroes also attracted strong interest. Shree Charani went to Delhi Capitals for ₹1.3 crore, while Radha Yadav, one of India’s most impressive bowlers in recent months, joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹65 lakh. Sneh Rana was picked up by Delhi for ₹50 lakh, strengthening the franchise’s domestic core.

Overseas stars saw heavy demand too. Amelia Kerr returned to Mumbai Indians for ₹3 crore, Sophie Devine went to Gujarat Giants for ₹2 crore, and Australia’s Meg Lanning was bought by UP Warriorz for ₹1.9 crore. However, in one of the most unexpected moments of the auction, wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy went unsold. Jemimah, Smriti, Shafali, Harmanpreet Stay With Their Teams

Many of the biggest names did not enter the auction pool at all, thanks to strong team retentions that kept the WPL’s star power intact:

• Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Kate Cross, and Shreyanka Patil remain with RCB, maintaining one of the most balanced squads in the league.

• Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and captain Meg Lanning’s replacement leadership group stay with Delhi Capitals, giving them stability at the top.

• Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Hayley Matthews were all retained by Mumbai Indians, ensuring the defending champions enter the season with their strongest possible core.

• UP Warriorz held on to young all-rounder Grace Harris before entering the auction with the biggest purse of ₹14.5 crore.

• Gujarat Giants, preparing for a major rebuild, held on to only a handful of players, allowing them to spend aggressively in the overseas category.

More Notable Buys of the Day

• South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt joined Delhi Capitals for ₹1.1 crore.

• Australian youngster Georgia Voll became RCB’s first signing at ₹60 lakh.

• UP Warriorz continued their splash by acquiring Phoebe Litchfield for ₹1.2 crore.

• South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk and West Indies’ Chinelle Henry were among the strongest overseas picks, both crossing the ₹1-crore mark.

• England’s Charlie Dean and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu also attracted interest as teams shifted attention to experience in the later rounds.

With 73 slots to be filled across five teams, including 23 overseas spots, the WPL 2026 auction underlined the league’s fast-growing global pull. Strong retention, high-value bidding, and an influx of young talent have set the stage for what promises to be the most competitive WPL season yet.