The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction witnessed intense bidding and strategic use of the Right-to-Match (RTM) card, with several high-profile players changing hands in the marquee set on Thursday.
Deepti Sharma headlined the auction, ultimately returning to her original franchise, the UP Warriorz (UPW). Although the Delhi Capitals (DC) won the final bid for the star Indian all-rounder at ₹3.2 crore, the Warriorz swiftly utilized their RTM card to secure her services for the same amount. Sharma, who was Player of the Tournament at the recent ODI World Cup, rejoins UPW after captaining them in WPL 2025.
The Warriorz also used a second RTM card to retain English left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone for ₹85 lakh, after DC had submitted the winning bid. UPW further bolstered their squad by acquiring former Australian captain Meg Lanning for ₹1.9 crore. Lanning was a key figure for the Delhi Capitals, having led them to three consecutive runner-up finishes.
The Delhi Capitals, despite missing out on Sharma and Ecclestone, secured South African captain Laura Wolvaardt for ₹1.1 crore. Wolvaardt, who was the leading run-scorer at the 2025 ODI World Cup, previously played for the Gujarat Giants.
The Gujarat Giants were active, acquiring two major international all-rounders:
- Former New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was secured for ₹2 crore after a bidding war involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DC.
- Indian medium pacer Renuka Singh Thakur was bought for ₹60 lakh from her original team, RCB.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) successfully brought back New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr for a high price of ₹3 crore, ensuring the two-time champions retained their key player who was integral to their 2023 and 2025 title wins.
In a surprising moment for the marquee set, Australian captain Alyssa Healy, who had a strong recent ODI World Cup, went unsold at her base price of ₹50 lakh but remains eligible to be called back in the later accelerated phase.
