The Women’s Premier League is poised for its first-ever mega auction on Thursday, November 27, in New Delhi, marking a reshuffle for the five franchises ahead of the 2026 season. A total of 277 players, including 194 Indians and 83 overseas stars, will vie for a maximum of 73 available slots.
The auction pool is headlined by marquee names such as recent World Cup winner Deepti Sharma, Australian opener Phoebe Litchfield, and international stalwarts like Sophie Ecclestone, Meg Lanning, and Laura Wolvaardt. Teams are required to construct squads of 15 to 18 players, with a cap of six overseas players per team.
UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants are expected to be the most active franchises after retaining the fewest players. UP Warriorz enters the auction with the largest purse of ₹14.5 crore, having retained only the uncapped Shweta Sehrawat. Gujarat Giants, with ₹9 crore remaining, retained just two players: Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney.
In contrast, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals exhausted their full retention quota of five players each and will operate with tighter budgets of ₹5.75 crore and ₹5.70 crore, respectively. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the 2024 champions, retained their core group including Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry, leaving them with ₹6.15 crore.
Several Indian players are anticipated to spark bidding wars following their performances in the recent ODI World Cup triumph. Deepti Sharma, named Player of the Tournament, leads a list of sought-after talents that includes young spinner N. Shree Charani and pacer Kranti Goud.
Charani, who claimed 14 wickets in the World Cup, and Goud, a promising seam-bowling option, are expected to attract interest. Power-hitter Kiran Navgire, who recently smashed the fastest T20 century in women's cricket, is another name likely to fetch a high price.
The event stands at the juncture of teams trying to rebuild or reinforce their squads following the first major overhaul since the league's inception in 2023. With recency bias often influencing auction dynamics, the recent World Cup performances of both Indian and international players are expected to drive the market.
Key overseas players like Phoebe Litchfield, who scored a century against India in the World Cup semi-final, and established stars such as Sophie Devine and Alyssa Healy will also be pivotal targets.
When and where to watch the WPL auction
The auction process will commence at 3:30 PM IST and will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network, with streaming available on JioHotstar.