Barely three weeks after India’s historic ODI World Cup win set off celebrations across the country, women’s cricket is ready to step into its next big moment. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction, the first such reboot since the league’s inception in 2023, will take place in New Delhi on Thursday, and it feels like the beginning of a new chapter. Five teams, 277 players, 73 open slots and a purse of ₹41.1 crore sitting on the table and the excitement is palpable.
The timing couldn’t be any better. There is optimism in the air following the World Cup victory, young stars are on the rise, big names have been released, and for the first time since the WPL began, every franchise is forced to rebuild rather than simply rearrange.
Unlike past auctions where only a handful switched teams, this one could reshape squad identities completely. Also, the Indian success at the World Cup was a watershed moment in women’s cricket for the country and the WPL is likely to benefit from it big time. Catch the list of all players part of the WPL 2026 auction list here.
UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants set to dominate bidding?
The auction dynamics are wildly different this year. UP Warriorz, who retained only Shweta Sehrawat for ₹50 lakh, walk in with a massive purse of ₹14.5 crore. They need to buy almost an entire team, and every marquee name on the list will have their eye on the Warriorz table. Surprisingly, they released Deepti Sharma, who is expected to fetch the biggest cheque at the WPL auction.
Not far behind are the Gujarat Giants. With ₹9 crore available and only two retentions, they are also expected to spark fiery bidding contests. Both sides will likely define the price ceiling for everyone else. GG retained Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney.
Across the table, the situation looks calmer. Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, finalists and title challengers every single season, have held onto five core players each, while RCB have kept the unit that won them the 2024 trophy. With limited slots and smaller purses, these sides will search for budget buys but don’t be surprised if any big name lands cheap for these three.
WPL 2026 auction Preview
- Date: November 27, 2025
- Venue: JW Marriott, Aerocity, New Delhi
- Players Registered: 277 (194 Indian, 83 overseas)
- Slots available: 73
- Total purse: ₹41.1 crore
- RTMs: 8 across franchises
WPL 2026 – Squad Size, Salary Cap and Available Slots Before Auction
| Franchise | Total Players | OS+ UC Players | RTMs | Money Spent (Rs cr) | Purse available | Available Slots | OS Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 5 | 2+1 | 0 | 9.3 | 5.7 | 13 | 4 |
| GG | 2 | 2+0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 4 |
| MI | 5 | 2+1 | 0 | 9.25 | 5.75 | 13 | 4 |
| RCB | 4 | 1+0 | 1 | 8.85 | 6.15 | 14 | 5 |
| UPW | 1 | 0+1 | 4 | 0.5 | 14.5 | 17 | 6 |
| Total | 17 | 7 | 8 | 33.9 | 41.1 | 73 | 23 |
Big names, big pressure & the recency bias effect at WPL auction?
India’s World Cup heroes are expected to attract frenzy. Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh Thakur (Rs 40 lac) and Kranti Goud headline the Indian group with ₹50 lakh base price tags. Overseas stars like Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning could trigger long bidding wars too. Don’t forget some incredible talents and pedigree all-rounders like Deandra Dottin, Jess Jonassen and Georgia Wareham.
But auctions create their own stories of unknown, uncapped and young talent always finding daylight. Left-arm spinner N Shree Charani (₹30 lakh base) has already earned buzz after a breakout ODI World Cup. Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield, who smashed a semifinal hundred against India, is another name who might be turning the most heads. It is still a surprise as to why GG released her.
With the league growing rapidly and international attention at its peak, Thursday will be more than just buying and selling. It marks the next leap for women’s sport in India. New faces will be synonymous with new teams.
