The WPL 2026 Mega Auction will take place on November 27, 2025, in New Delhi. A total of 277 players will go into the auction. This includes 194 Indian players (52 capped and 142 uncapped) and 83 overseas players (66 capped and 17 uncapped). Teams will compete for 73 slots, with 50 of these reserved for Indian players, while only 23 slots can be used for overseas signings.
Among the registered players, 19 have entered the highest base price category of ₹50 lakh. Another 11 players are listed at ₹40 lakh, and 88 players are in the ₹30 lakh bracket. The auction will begin at 3:30 PM with the 8-player marquee set.
The upcoming WPL season is scheduled to begin on January 7, with matches split between DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai for the first half and Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara for the second half. The final will take place in the first week of February.
How Teams Used Retentions and RTM Cards Ahead of the WPL 2026 Mega Auction
Before the WPL 2026 Mega Auction, teams used the retention and RTM system to secure key players. Delhi Capitals have retained Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, and Niki Prasad. Gujarat Giants kept Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney. Mumbai Indians continued with Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, and G Kamalini. RCB held on to Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, and Ellyse Perry. UP Warriorz kept only Shweta Sehrawat.
This season introduces RTM cards. UP Warriorz have four RTMs available, Gujarat Giants have three cards limited to Indian players because they already retained two overseas players, and RCB have one RTM for an uncapped Indian cricketer. Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians cannot use RTM since both franchises already retained five players.
Top Players To Watch In The WPL 2026 Mega Auction
Meg Lanning
Meg Lanning’s release from Delhi Capitals came as a surprise, especially after she led the team to three straight WPL finals. Just days after being let go, she produced a stunning reply in the WBBL, scoring 135 off 79 balls for the Melbourne Stars against the Sydney Sixers.
Her history with Delhi Capitals began in the 2023 WPL auction, where she was signed for ₹1.1 crore and made captain. She topped the run charts that season with 345 runs and won the Orange Cap before DC lost the final to Mumbai.
Amelia Kerr
Amelia Kerr was released by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the WPL auction. She had joined the franchise in the inaugural 2023 season for ₹1 crore. Kerr is the youngest woman to score a double century in ODI cricket, and her 232* remains the highest individual score in women’s ODIs. In the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, she was named Player of the Tournament after guiding New Zealand to their first-ever title.
Phoebe Litchfield
Phoebe Litchfield was released by Gujarat Giants despite being viewed as one of the brightest young batting prospects in women’s cricket. She made her WPL debut in 2024 and has played 14 matches, scoring 199 runs at a strike rate of 114.37. Her highest score is 35 against UP Warriorz. She has not yet recorded a fifty in the league and averages 15.31.
Laura Wolvaardt
Laura Wolvaardt was released by the Gujarat Giants even though she delivered a strong batting performance at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. She has played 13 WPL matches for Gujarat Giants and scored 342 runs. Wolvaardt first joined the franchise in March 2023 as a mid-season replacement for Beth Mooney.
Nadine de Klerk
Nadine de Klerk was not retained by the Mumbai Indians for the 2026 WPL season and will enter the auction. She was first brought into the league by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a replacement for Heather Knight in WPL 2024, where she played only one match before being released. Mumbai Indians later signed her for INR 30 lakh at the 2025 auction, but she was released ahead of the upcoming mega auction.
Deepti Sharma
UP Warriorz released Deepti Sharma to reset their squad and free up money for the WPL 2026 mega auction. Head coach Abhishek Nayar explained that the franchise wanted a fresh start after finishing last in the 2025 season. The plan also includes the possibility of buying Deepti back at the auction.
Deepti Sharma has been a key performer for UP Warriorz across the first three WPL seasons, scoring 507 runs and taking 27 wickets in 25 matches. She captained the side in 2025 but managed only three wins, with the team finishing last in the table.
Kranti Gaud
Kranti Gaud was bought by UP Warriorz for ₹10 lakh at the third WPL auction in December 2024. She made an immediate impact by becoming the second-youngest player to take a four-wicket haul in the league, following Issy Wong’s feat in 2023. In her WPL career so far, she has played 8 matches, scored 8 runs, and taken 6 wickets.
N Shree Charani
N. Shree Charani was bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹55 lakh at the third WPL auction in December 2024. She received her debut cap from Jess Jonassen during the 2025 season, and she claimed her first WPL wicket by dismissing Ellyse Perry. Charani has played 2 matches, scored 3 runs, and taken 4 wickets.
FAQs
Q. Who is the highest bid in WPL auction history?
A. Smriti Mandhana is the highest-bid player in WPL history. Royal Challengers Bangalore bought her for ₹3.4 crore, and she later led the team to the 2024 title.
Q. Who was the highest-bid player in WPL 2025?
A. Simran Shaikh was the highest-bid player in WPL 2025. She was bought by Gujarat Giants for ₹1.90 crore.
Q. Which team was the strongest in WPL 2025?
A. The Mumbai Indians were the strongest team in WPL 2025. They won the title for the second time, defeating the Delhi Capitals in the final.
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