Deepti Sharma was touted to attract the most bids at the first-ever mega Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction. After her incredible ODI World Cup performance, the stocks for Deepti were at all-time high and she has become the costliest player at the WPL 2026 auction. UP Warrioz (UPW) bought her back using one of their three Right To Match (RTM) cards after Delhi Capitals (DC) raised the only paddle for the star all-rounder.
Deepti Sharma from UPW to DC to UPW
With 147 wickets to her name, Deepti Sharma is by far the leading wicket-taker for India in women’s T20Is. Her economy of 6.12 is incredible and she has 24 fifties and a century in her international career. She spent three years with the UP Warriorz and it was startling as to why they released her. UP Warriorz only retained Shweta Sehrawat. This allowed them to go in with 3 RTMs at the auction.
Once Deepti’s name came out, everyone knew that UP would use their RTM on her. Delhi Capitals raised the first paddle for her and much to everyone’s surprise, they got her for base price of Rs 50 lac. But UP Warriorz used the RTM option. DC were asked to raise the bid once and they priced it straightaway at Rs 3.20 crore. After brief brainstorming, UP agreed, making Deepti the second-most costliest buy at the WPL auction history. Smriti Mandhana, at Rs 3.40 crore, remains the highest ever when RCB bought her in the inaugural auction.
Most expensive player in WPL Auction history
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Price | Team | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smriti Mandhana | India | ₹3.40 Crore | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | WPL 2023 |
| 2 | Deepti Sharma | India | ₹3.20 Crore | UP Warriorz | WPL 2025 |
| 3 | Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | ₹3.20 Crore | Gujarat Giants | WPL 2023 |
| 4 | Nat Sciver‑Brunt | England | ₹3.20 Crore | Mumbai Indians | WPL 2023 |
| 5 | Amelia Kerr | New Zealand | ₹3.00 Crore | Mumbai Indians | WPL 2025 |
