The stage for the Women’s Premier League 2026 auction is set as the five franchises announced their retained players lists, signaling rebuilds for several teams. Franchises were permitted to retain a maximum of five players (max three capped Indians and two overseas players). The auction is scheduled for November 27 in New Delhi.
Two franchises, Gujarat Giantsand UP Warriorz, opted for a major overhaul. UPW chose to retain only one player, uncapped Indian opener Shweta Sehrawat, leaving them with the largest purse remainingand four Right-To-Match (RTM) options. Similarly, GG retained just two Australian players, Ashleigh Gardnerand Beth Mooney, releasing overseas players like Laura Wolvaardt and Phoebe Litchfield, and retaining ₹9 crore for the auction.
The other three teams used more slots, but still released major names. Two-time champions Mumbai Indians retained captain Harmanpreet Kaur alongside overseas all-rounders Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews, making the decision to release New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr.
Delhi Capitals retained four players, opting for all-rounders Marizanne Kapp and Annabel Sutherland as their two overseas retentions, alongside Indian internationals Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, leading to the release of captain Meg Lanning. The new DC head coach Jonathan Batty noted, "Jemimah's got a great captaincy record... Annabel Sutherland captains in WBBL as well. So there's lots of candidates out there."
Despite the ongoing uncertainty regarding the franchise's ownership, Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained four players: captain Smriti Mandhana (₹3.5 crore), wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (₹2.75 crore), and overseas star Ellyse Perry (₹2 crore). They also backed young spinner Shreyanka Patil (₹60 lakh), opting to release key bowlers Renuka Singh Thakur and Sneh Rana.
Mandhana, Sciver-Brunt, and Gardner were retained for the maximum price of ₹3.5 crore each. The focus now shifts entirely to the auction room on November 27, where franchises will utilize their remaining purse funds and RTM options to complete their squads for the WPL 2026 season.
Players Retained: Harmanpreet Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, G. Kamalini.
Purse Remaining: ₹5.75 Cr
Players Retained: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Niki Prasad.
Purse Remaining: ₹5.70 Cr
Players Retained: Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil.
Purse Remaining: ₹6.15 Cr
Players Retained: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney
Purse Remaining: ₹9.00 Cr
Players Retained: Shweta Sehrawat
Purse Remaining: ₹14.50 Cr
